New CCTV footage contradicts prison death evidence in Scotland

Previously unseen CCTV footage has emerged that challenges the official narrative surrounding the death of Allan Marshall, who died four days after being restrained by prison officers at HMP Edinburgh in 2015. The BBC obtained the footage after a legal battle with Scottish ministers, who had previously denied its existence or claimed only restraint footage was available.

The new footage depicts Marshall, who was on remand for unpaid fines and breach of the peace, walking calmly through the prison for four minutes, accompanied by three guards. He appears to be clean and is not exhibiting the erratic or aggressive behavior described by officers in evidence to a fatal accident inquiry. This contradicts claims that he had smashed his cell, covered himself in excrement, and was behaving erratically.

Officers had stated Marshall needed a shower after a "dirty protest" and was being moved to segregation due to his actions. However, the newly released video shows him walking topless and seemingly calm towards the shower room, without the excrement or erratic behavior described by officials. The restraint incident itself, which occurred outside the shower room nearly 20 minutes later, has been public for years.

Marshall's relatives and the BBC fought for months to access this pre-restraint footage. Lawyers for Scottish ministers had repeatedly stated that the restraint footage was the only CCTV available. A Scottish government spokeswoman apologized for failures leading to Marshall's death but declined further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.

“

The ongoing legal proceedings mean it is inappropriate to comment further.