24 August 201016 December 2022 4WardEverUK

US cops: armed and dangerous?

originally published by: The Guardian
16th August 2010

When Americans read British newspapers referencing “her Majesty”, “his Highness” or “Lord So-and-So”, we bask in the smug patriotic pride of knowing ours is no nation of aristocrats, but a country based on principles like equality before the law and authority granted by merit.

So we’re told. Yet we do have de facto aristocrats, whose authority over ordinary citizens rivals what English royals gave up with the Magna Carta: power to inflict pain on anyone who treats them disrespectfully, power even to kill with relatively little fuss. If mine were truly a free country, US police wouldn’t wield such immense power or employ such aggressive tactics against their own citizenry – a militarisation of our police forces that started with the war on drugs and intensified after 9/11.

24 August 201016 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Sean Rigg family hold a vigil on the 2nd anniversary of his death

originally published by: BBC News
21 August 2010

The family and friends of a mentally-ill man who died in police custody have held a vigil to mark the second anniversary of his death. Sean Rigg, 40, of Balham, was arrested in 2008 on suspicion of assaulting an officer and taken to Brixton police station, where he died hours later.

An inquiry by the IPCC ended in February, but the findings have not yet been released. The Metropolitan Police said it remains committed to the investigation.

Mr Rigg’s family say he was “fit and healthy with no illicit drugs or alcohol found in his body at the time of his death”. He died within hours of being taken into custody. Police said he was seen by a doctor after he fell ill, shortly before he died.

24 August 201016 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Judge denies Troy Davis innocence claim

all credits: The Associated Press
August 24, 2010

A federal judge has ruled Georgia death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis failed to prove his innocence after Davis was granted a rare hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Tuesday’s ruling against Davis sets the stage for Georgia officials to move forward with executing him for the 1989 shooting death of Mark MacPhail, an off-duty Savannah police officer.

In June, U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. heard two days of testimony from witnesses in Savannah seeking to cast doubt on Davis’ conviction. The Supreme Court ordered the hearing for Davis a year ago.