Beijing police respond to death in custody

Lei Yang. [File photo from web]

Beijing police issued a statement on Wednesday responding to the death of a 29-year-old man, who died around an hour after he was detained on suspicion of soliciting prostitution.

According to the statement, police officers in plain clothes apprehended Lei Yang as he was exiting a foot massage parlor they were about to raid at 9:14 pm on Saturday. Lei refused to cooperate with the investigation, resisted arrest, bit the police officers and knocked off their video cameras.

He was put in a police car, but on the way to the police station he attempted to exit the vehicle, moved from the back seat to the passenger seat and kicked the driver, according to the statement.

Lei was later handcuffed by the police officers.

Police said Lei looked unwell during the journey, so they took him to hospital at 10:05 pm. He was pronounced dead at 10:55 pm after efforts were made to resuscitate him.

An additional five people were also detained at the foot massage parlor and evidence showed that Lei had paid 200 yuan ($31) to hire a prostitute from the business, the police said.

Wu Tingting, Lei's wife, questioned the officers' actions as she claimed to have found bruises and wounds on her husband's body.

She also questioned the three hour delay between Lei's death and her being informed of it.

Wu claims Lei left home in northern Beijing at around 9 pm to meet relatives at Beijing Capital International Airport who were scheduled to arrive at 11:30 pm.

She said she made more than 40 phone calls to Lei after 11:30 pm because he failed to meet the relatives at the airport. She believes the police had no reason to delay informing the family about Lei's death. She was informed at 1 am.