18 April 201922 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Neglect contributed to death of epileptic man restrained in police van

source: Shropshire Star
published: 9 April 2019

Neglect contributed to the death of an epileptic man after he was restrained face down in a police van five years ago, an inquest jury has found. Duncan Tomlin, 32, died in hospital two days after he fell unconscious while being detained during a struggle in Haywards Heath in July 2014.

Mr Tomlin, originally from Oxfordshire, was wrestled to the ground, sprayed with an incapacitant and arrested after punching an officer in the face.

He was handcuffed behind his back, placed in leg and thigh restraints and held face down on the floor before being carried into a police van with his legs curled up behind him.

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8 April 201922 December 2022 4WardEverUK

$8.25M settlement reached in Aiyana Stanley-Jones lawsuit

source: CBS Detroit
published: 5 April 2019

The city of Detroit reached an $8.25 million settlement Thursday with the family of a 7-year-old girl accidentally killed by a police officer during a 2010 raid.Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin.

“Aiyana’s death was a tragic loss for her family and has been a heavy burden on our community. We believe today’s settlement is fair because it balances the needs of Aiyana’s family and our responsibility for the city’s finances. We hope this resolution will provide everyone involved a measure of closure,” Garcia said in a statement.

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25 November 201822 December 2022 4WardEverUK

3 years later, Sandra Bland’s family still want answers surrounding her death

source: ESSENCE News
published: 19 November 2018

On July 13, 2015, the unthinkable happened to the family of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old who was a “bright, beautiful, outspoken, bold, caring, loving and intelligent individual,” says her sister Shante Needham.

Three days after being arrested during a routine traffic stop, Bland was found hanging in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas. She had been pulled over by state trooper Brian Encinia, who told her it was because she had failed to signal a lane change. Later, dashcam footage would reveal Encinia asking Bland to put out her cigarette.