5 December 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Troy Davis’ sister dies of cancer

originally by: Your Black Woman
published: 2nd December 2011

Martina Davis-Correia, sister of the late Troy Davis, has died. Davis-Correia passed after a long battle with cancer and was the firestorm that took her brother’s case to international heights. Although few people initially paid attention to the faulty murder conviction of this young black male in Georgia, Davis’ sister dedicated her life to fighting for her brother’s freedom.

Davis was killed by lethal injection on September 21 of this year. The execution was covered by international media, and there are millions around the world who consider the execution of Davis to be one of the most symbolic indicators of injustice in American history.

5 December 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Locking up children for life in the US

originally by: Amnesty International USA
published: 30th November 2011

While their peers are finding dates for prom, submitting college applications, and starting families, over 2,500 prisoners sit behind bars in the US without the possibility of parole.

What makes these prisoners unique is that they were all sentenced for crimes committed while they were children.

The US is the only country in the world that pursues life imprisonment without parole against children – and it does so regularly. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child expressly prohibits life imprisonment without the possibility of release committed by people under 18 years old.

All countries except the USA and Somalia have ratified the Convention.

30 November 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Smiley Culture’s death in police raid does not justify charges, IPCC rules

originally by: The Guardian
published: 29th Nov 2011

Police have been criticised by an independent watchdog for a botched raid that led to the death of reggae star Smiley Culture, it was revealed on Tuesday. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) claim that Smiley Culture, otherwise known as David Emmanuel, died after stabbing himself through the heart during a drugs raid at his Surrey home on 15 March 2011.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) conducted an investigation into Emmanuel’s death. The summary of their final report – the coroner has asked that the full report is not made public or shared with Emmanuel’s family – condemns the raid as significantly flawed and compels the MPS to overhaul the way they plan and execute future drug seizures.