from Birmingham Post
6th November 2009

The sister of a Birmingham man who died in police custody has spoken about her brother’s health and the behaviour of police officers the night he was arrested.

Sharon Powell said her 38-year-old brother Michael was a “loving, family man” and despite a history of mental illness he was “fit, well and healthy”. Michael Powell died in a prison cell at Thornhill Road Police Station in Handsworth after being arrested for smashing windows and damaging his mother’s home in Wilton Road, Lozells, in September 2003.

His family have maintained that the police’s heavy handed behaviour during the arrest was racially motivated and he would have been treated differently had he been white.

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from Birmingham Post
6th November 2009

A witness has described seeing a police car run into a man who later died in police custody.

Michael Powell died six years ago in a prison cell at Thornhill Road Police Station after being arrested for smashing windows and violent behaviour outside his family home in Lozells.

His family have maintained that heavy-handed behaviour on the part of police prior to his death was racially motivated.

Speaking at an inquest into his death Ernest Walters, a family friend who was dating Mr Powell’s sister, said he saw the 38-year-old standing in front of a police car when it revved its engine and ran him over, causing him to be flipped up on to the bonnet of the car before rolling off the roof.

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