Date: 03 April 2001
The applicant, Susan Keenan, a British national born in 1935, is the mother of Mark Keenan who died in HM Prison Exeter (England), at the age of 28, from asphyxia caused by self-suspension.
Mark Keenan had been receiving intermittent anti-psychotic medication from the age of 21 and his medical history included symptoms of paranoia, aggression, violence and deliberate self-harm.
On 1 April 1993, he was admitted to Exeter prison, initially to the prison health care centre, to serve a four-month prison sentence for assault on his girlfriend. Various attempts to move him to the ordinary prison were unsuccessful, as his condition deteriorated whenever he was transferred.
On 1 May 1993, after the question of being transferred to the main prison was raised with him, Mr Keenan assaulted two hospital officers, one seriously. He was placed the same day in a segregation unit of the prison punishment block. On 14 May, he was found guilty of assault and his overall prison sentence increased by 28 days, including seven extra days in segregation in the punishment block, effectively delaying his release date from 23 May 1993 to 20 June. At 6.35 p.m. on 15 May 1993, he was discovered by the two prison officers hanging from the bars of his cell by a ligature made from a bed sheet. At 7.05 p.m. he was pronounced dead.
The applicant alleged that her son had died from suicide in prison due to a failure to protect his life by the prison authorities, that he had suffered inhuman and degrading treatment due to the conditions of detention imposed on him and that she had no effective remedy in respect of her complaints. She relied on Articles 2, 3 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Citation: Keenan v the United Kingdom (App no 27229/95) ECHR 3 April 2001
(from the official press-release prepared by the Registry Office of the European Court of Human Rights)
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