The Crown has opened its case against three Taranaki police officers charged with manslaughter at the High Court in New Plymouth on Monday.
Fifty-five-year-old Allen Ball died in the cells at the Hāwera Police station on June 1, 2019.
It's alleged the officers were grossly negligent in their duty of care after arresting Ball following a family harm incident.
In her opening argument Crown prosecutor Cherie Clark told the jury it took six officers to carry a snoring Ball from the police vehicle into the station and despite a series of compliance techniques designed to elicit a response, Ball did not wake up.
The Crown says the officers ignored police computer alerts advising them to take Ball to the hospital.
The alerts are based on the information officers enter into the system regarding the person in custody's health and wellbeing.
Clarke says Ball died from alcohol, codeine and tramadol toxicity, which he would have survived if provided with the appropriate care.
The officers, who have been stood down from work, have each pleaded not guilty.
A jury of seven women and five men has been selected.
The trial is set down for four weeks.
