Arrest history allowed in transit shooting case

originally by: Associated Press
published: 8th May 2010

Jurors in the upcoming trial of a former transit officer charged with murdering an unarmed man can hear about an incident in which police reported the man ran from officers and resisted arrest, a judge ruled Friday.

Superior Court Judge Robert Perry granted a defense motion to allow some details about the arrest history of Oscar Grant, who was shot in the back and killed at an Oakland transit station on New Year’s Day 2009.

Ex-Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer Jonannes Mehserle, 28, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Grant. The trial was moved from Alameda County to Los Angeles due to widespread media coverage and racial tensions sparked by the case.

12 May 201016 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Police failed custody death man

originally published by: BBC News
7th May 2010

Police who detained a man before he died failed to recognise a “medical emergency”, an inquest jury has found. Nadeem Khan, of Lancashire, who had been arrested for displaying violent behaviour, had high levels of cocaine in his blood when he died in 2007.

The jury at Preston Coroner’s Court said Mr Khan was suffering from excited delirium which had not been recognised. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has called for officers to be trained to deal with the condition.

A narrative verdict read out to the court said: “The contributory factors leading to Mr Khan’s death are the physiological stress that Mr Khan suffered.

10 May 201016 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Why aren’t Black deaths in custody an election issue?

Parliament Protest originally published by: Chronicle World
2nd May 2010

In all the 2010 election brouhaha about fairness in society, no political party has made the alarming number of deaths of Black people in police custody a priority.

However, thanks to the GPI Generation (the heirs of the “Stop Police Brutality” marches) the anguish and concerns of Black communities and voters have gained a voice.

“Now is the time to empower people with “strategies of protest” against injustice in the hands of the law”, said Remi Harris, music producer, and Aisha Phoenix, graduate student as they welcomed speakers, campaigners and bereaved families to the George Padmore Institute meeting.