2 August 202222 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Police watchdog announces rare reinvestigation of restraint death

source: INQUEST
published: 20 July 2017

Darren Cumberbatch, a 32 year old Black man, died in hospital on 19 July 2017, nine days after excessive use of force against him by Warwickshire Police officers. This took place whilst he was experiencing a mental health crisis in a bail hostel, McIntyre House, in Nuneaton.

A jury inquest took place in 2019 and found the police use of force against Darren, which ‘may have been excessive and avoidable’, contributed to his death. See notes for further background. Last year the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) included Darren’s death in a critical review of cases involving Tasers. This led Darren’s and other families to call for reinvestigation of their cases.

16 July 202222 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Twitter remembers Sandra Bland on the 7th anniversary of her death

source: Madamenoire
originally published: 14 July 2022

Sandra Bland was only 28-years-old when she was found dead in her cell at Waller County Jail on July 13, 2015. Now, on the seventh anniversary of her death, online users and media publications are still saying her name.

On July 10, 2015 Texas trooper Brian Encinia pulled over Bland, a Black woman and Prairie View A&M alum. At the time, Bland was driving in from Illinois to Prarie View to start a job at the university.

Encinia pulled over Bland for failing to signal a lane change, and things verbally escalated into a tense exchange wherein Bland’s cell phone and police dashcam footage detailed parts of the encounter.

16 June 202222 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Thames Valley Police apologises over man’s heroin death in cell

source: BBC News
published: 15 June 2022

A police force has apologised to the family of a man who died in custody after taking heroin in his cell. Officers at a police station in Reading failed to find the drugs Leroy Junior Medford, 43, had hidden.

In a letter to his family, Thames Valley Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Jason Hogg described his death in April 2017 as tragic and avoidable. He also acknowledged the force breached Mr Medford’s human rights and those of his family.

Mr Hogg wrote that Thames Valley Police apologised both for this and the “grief and distress that this has caused Junior’s children and siblings”.

Mr Medford, who was known to his family as Junior, was arrested on suspicion of assault and taken to Loddon Valley police station in Berkshire.