12 March 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

War, Prisons, and Torture in the US & UK

originally by: Infoshop News
6th March 2011

Richard Haley is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has been active in Britain’s anti-war movement since 2003. He is a member of the Stop the War Coalition and is currently Chair of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities. Last December, on Human Rights Day, Scotland Against Criminalising Communities initiated a “Stop Isolation” campaign with an online statement arguing that solitary confinement is a form of torture that must be abolished.

The petition states that “We call upon the countries of the world to enact legislation that prohibits long-term prisoner isolation, and prohibits the transfer of prisoners to countries where they would be at risk of such treatment. Dungeons should not be tolerated in the 21st century.”

8 March 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Leicestershire’s police chief told to show lessons learned after woman’s death

originally by: This Is Leicestershire
5th March 2011

Leicestershire’s chief constable Simon Cole has been ordered to show lessons have been learned after a mentally-ill woman was bludgeoned to death despite calling police for help. Joanne Butler, 38, made four calls to police in 11 minutes the night before her body was discovered – three of them were 999 calls. No officers were ever sent to her Earl Shilton home.

Ms Butler, who had a history of mental health issues, was found dead after a fire at her flat in January 2006. She had been murdered by 13-year-old Ashlea Wilson and his father Sean. In January, the Mercury revealed the findings of an investigation into the police by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

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8 March 201116 December 2022 4WardEverUK

LAPD killing of autistic man was wrong, Police Commission rules

all credits: Los Angeles Times
5th March 2011

The civilian commission that oversees the Los Angeles Police Department has taken the rare step of rejecting a recommendation from the department’s chief, ruling that two police officers were wrong when they fatally shot an unarmed autistic man last year.

Police Chief Charlie Beck concluded after a lengthy internal investigation that the officers made serious tactical mistakes during the brief, late-night encounter, but ultimately were justified in using deadly force against Steven Eugene Washington, 27.

The shooting drew sharp criticism from Washington’s family, who said the man was autistic and fearful of strangers. Civil liberties groups questioned the shooting, suggesting that the officers may have overreacted because they had not observed Washington doing anything criminal.

“Police Commission overrules chief, says LAPD shooting was wrong”