4WardEverUK

IPCC probe after a Birmingham man dies in police custody

all credits: BBC News
16th August 2010

An investigation has started after a 39-year-old man died shortly after being taken into police custody. Lloyd Butler, from Sheldon, Birmingham, was arrested following a call from his family that he was drunk and incapable.

He was put in a cell at 1215 BST on 4 August and kept under observation due to his poor condition, the Independent Police Complaints Commission said. West Midlands Police checked on him at 1515 BST then started first aid. He was taken to hospital but declared dead.

Police referred the death at Stechford police station to the Independent Police Complaints Commission IPCC which began investigating on 5 August. The IPCC said it had been asked to review the police officers’ actions to ensure they had followed national and local guidelines for custody care.

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4WardEverUK

Death in custody of mental health patient

Kirpal Rahel
Kirpal Rahel

originally published by: BBC News
26th July 2010

It cannot bear the hallmarks of timely or equitable justice when the State takes five full years to deliver a satisfactory explanation to a family, when a vulnerable relative has been deprived of their liberty and they then die in unexpected circumstances whilst in NHS care.

Statement from Claire Murdoch, Chief Executive, Central North West London Hospital Foundation Trust:

“I would like to extend our condolences to Mr. Rahel’s family and assure them that we will do all we can to help them answer any remaining questions they might have in relation to his untimely and tragic death five years ago.

We are continuing to work with the Trust, which was responsible for the service at the time, to ensure that we, with their help, are able to address any unanswered issues to ensure that all possible lessons are learned and shared for the benefit of future patients and their families.

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4WardEverUK

“Cruel But Not Unusual” punishment of women in U.S. prisons

Woman in Prisonoriginally published by: Mr ZINE
5th August 2010

After years of neglect, the issue of women in prison has begun to receive attention in this country [US]. Media accounts of overcrowding, lengthening sentences, and horrendous medical care in women’s prisons appear regularly.

Amnesty International — long known for ignoring human rights abuses inside United States prisons and jails — issued a report, two days shy of International Women’s Day 2001, documenting over 1,000 cases of sexual abuse of U.S. women prisoners by their jailers. However, we seldom hear from these women themselves. And we never hear from women incarcerated for their political actions.

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