Aboriginal woman dragged like ‘dead Kangaroo’ and killed in police custody

Julieka Dhu
Ms. Dhu

source: Atlanta Black Star
published: 29 August 2016

Black Lives Matter in Australia. As attention has been paid to Black women who have lost their lives while in police custody and in encounters with law enforcement in the United States — women such as Sandra Bland, Miriam Carey, Rekia Boyd and Korryn Gaines — there is another name to add to the list, halfway around the world.

This month marked the second anniversary of the death of Julieka Dhu, 22, an Indigenous Yamatji woman who was arrested on Aug. 2, 2014 for failure to pay A$3,600 (US$2,742) in fines. She is referred to as Ms. Dhu, out of cultural respect for Aboriginal people’s avoidance of referring to the name of a dead person.

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Dalian Atkinson died after being Tasered in Telford by police

Dalian Atkinson - Image credit www.swn.com
Dalian Atkinson – Image credit http://www.swn.com

source: BBC News
published: 15 August 2016

Former footballer Dalian Atkinson has died after being shot with a Taser by police at his father’s house. Police said the weapon was deployed at about 01:30 BST in Telford, Shropshire after officers were called to a report of concern for a man’s safety.

A neighbour described seeing the former Aston Villa star, 48, being Tasered after “stumbling towards” police.

Mr Atkinson went into cardiac arrest on his way to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 03:00.

Paula Quinn, who lives in a first-floor flat near the Atkinson property in Trench, said: “They were shouting and kicking so much all I could hear were the boots hitting him.

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Officer lied about checking on mother before death in police cell

Sharmilla Ullah
Sharmilla Ullah

source: Express & Star
published: 10 June 2016

Sharmila Ullah was taken into police custody in July 2014 after being arrested for shoplifting. The 30-year-old, of Fourth Avenue, was admitted to Walsall Manor Hospital from Bloxwich Police Station after suffering abdominal pain and vomiting.

The mother, known as Millie, was returned to her cell the following morning where a doctor certified her as fit to be detained. But shortly after 11.50am on July 10 she was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at hospital less than an hour later.

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