"Eventually, science will kill capital punishment"

originally by: Sentencing Law and Policy
29th May 2011

We don’t know if the recently executed child rapist and killer Donald Beaty had the genetic defect that scientists call the “murder gene.” I’m pretty sure we didn’t want to know. We wanted him dead. Just as we wanted the murderer Jeffrey Landrigan executed last October, although Landrigan’s attorneys claimed he might have possessed the gene, which is believed to create a predisposition to violence when linked with other factors.

But the U.S. Supreme Court decided that Landrigan had waived his right to raise that issue, and there was no reprieve coming from the governor.

1 June 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

‘Staff failed’ in Newport police cell death says IPCC

originally by: BBC News
25th May 2011

An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the death of a “vulnerable” man in a police cell has found “staff failed” to protect him. Andrew David Sheppard, 22, was found dead at Newport Central police station on 30 September 2006.

An inquest into Mr Sheppard’s death also revealed “gross failings” in the system. Gwent Police has since implemented all eight recommendations made by the IPCC.

Mr Sheppard was detained by police under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 after “behaving irrationally” on 30 September 2006. His family had been in contact with police and health professionals on several occasions, that day, to seek advice.

28 May 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Scathing verdict from jury on conclusion of inquest into death of psychiatric patient

originally by: Bindmans
6th May2011

On 6 May 2011 the jury returned a decisive and highly critical verdict of the acts and omissions of Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust following the inquest into the circumstances of the death of Louise Noon. The jury’s verdict came after several hours of careful deliberation and three days of detailed evidence and legal submissions before HM Coroner for Norfolk, William J Armstrong sitting at Norwich City Football Club grounds.

Louise died by suicide in her room at Northgate Hospital on 23 July 2011 having quickly become very ill suffering from symptoms of bi-polar affective disorder. Louise hanged herself using a cord in her possession from a ligature point within her room, despite having made several similar suicide attempts in the days preceding, of which she alerted staff.