Death in lockups: Police file on Delon Lawrence’s death sent to DPP for advice

The police file of the death of Delon Lawrence, who died in custody in April under suspicious circumstances, has been officially sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice. This follows the conclusion of an investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
Lawrence, a 38-year-old labourer of De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara, was arrested on the night of March 15 after allegedly stabbing a woman aboard a Route 31 minibus. He died hours later while in police custody.
Police on Wednesday confirmed that one suspect has since been arrested and questioned in connection with his death.  According to the post-mortem, conducted on April 14 by government pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, Lawrence died from a subdural haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head, compounded by multiple fractured ribs, injuries consistent with a beating.
The events that led to Lawrence’s death began on March 15, when he allegedly launched an unprovoked knife attack aboard a minibus heading to Wales. The victim, Fiona Jones, a 21-year-old security officer attached to the United States Embassy, told police she was sitting at the back of the bus when Lawrence pulled a knife from his waistband and began stabbing her and other passengers.
The driver stopped the vehicle, and the other passengers fled, leaving Jones trapped with the armed man. She eventually escaped, and members of the public intervened, beating Lawrence before handing him over to the police.
When officers arrived on the La Grange Public Road, they reportedly found Lawrence being chased and assaulted by civilians. Police said he resisted arrest and allegedly lifted one constable off the ground in a chokehold before being subdued with assistance from other ranks and bystanders. He was then transported to the La Grange Police Station.
Due to continued disorderly behaviour, Lawrence was transferred to the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station, where he was placed in the walkway of the lock-ups and monitored. According to police, he appeared responsive during routine checks.
However, around 01:57h on March 16, officers claimed they found Lawrence unresponsive. Emergency medical technicians were summoned, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The circumstances surrounding his death quickly sparked public outrage, especially after video screenshots surfaced online showing Lawrence lying motionless. The incident prompted an immediate investigation by the OPR.