James Ashley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the United States Congressional Representative, see James Mitchell Ashley.

For the British politician, see James Ashley (politician).

James Ashley was a 39-year-old man who was shot dead by armed police while unarmed and naked^[1], during a raid on his flat in St Leonards, East Sussex, United Kingdom, on 15 January 1998. Ashley and several of the apartment's other residents were suspected of involvement in large-scale drug deals. Having previously served two years on a charge of manslaughter, Ashley had been involved in a pubroom stabbing several months earlier, although only in so much as a friend of his attacked someone else before Ashley pulled him away. A search of the premises later turned up a small amount of cannabis.

Ashley had been in bed with his girlfriend at the time of the raid, and had got out of bed to investigate noises coming from the flat ^[1]. As he moved towards the door of his darkened bedroom an armed police officer stepped into the room. Seeing Ashley approaching and having been briefed that the occupants of the flat could be armed and dangerous, the officer reacted by firing his weapon at Ashley ^[1].

At a subsequent press conference, the Chief Constable of Sussex Police, Paul Whitehouse, claimed that James Ashley had been wanted for murder but this was not correct. Ashley had however been convicted of manslaughter in the past.

An enquiry was held into the incident and Sir John Hoddinott, the Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary later found "suggestive evidence of collusion between some or all of the chief officers of the Sussex force to conceal what they already knew, and that an arguable case of attempting to pervert the course of justice might be made out." ^[2]

Hoddinott also said that there was evidence of criminal malfeasance and falsehood, neglect of duty, discreditable conduct against the Deputy Chief Constable of Sussex, Mark Jordan, and aiding and abetting the false statements of his chief, Paul Whitehouse.^[3] Mr. Whitehouse insisted that he bore no responsibility for the events that had occurred but when the Home Secretary, David Blunkett suggested that he resign, he took that course of action.

Constable Sherwood and four other officers were all charged and found not guilty in James Ashley's death, they continued to serve as policemen. Five police officers who were suspended following the shooting later unsuccessfully attempted to sue the Sussex police for the "psychiatric injury" they suffered due to alleged improper training they received^[4].

The affair re-ignited public concern about the wisdom of arming British policemen and allowing them to attend at incidents involving firearms. Their American counterparts have a number of strategies and a variety of equipment to deal with gun incidents, the last of which involves actually opening fire.^[5]