Author: Larry Fedja

Larry Fedja

Police keep jobs after Lloyd Butler’s death

Lloyd Butleroriginally by: Birmingham Mail  
published: 25 January 2013

Two police officers filmed making insulting remarks about a man who later died in custody will keep their jobs despite being found guilty of misconduct.

Lloyd Butler, from Tile Cross, died aged 39 at Stechford police station in August, 2010 after being arrested after his family called 999 due to concerns about his behaviour while drunk. An independent hearing into officer’s conduct on that night found Sergeant Mark Albutt guilty of gross misconduct for failing in his duty of care.

Yet he will only face a written warning for “unacceptable” actions that “fell far below the force’s expectations” Pc Dean Woodcock will undergo further training after being found guilty of misconduct.

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Larry Fedja

Police criticised over death of former cage fighter

Jacob Michael - CCTV Footageoriginally by: The Guardian  
published: 26 October 2012

A coroner has criticised a police force after “serious deficiencies” in procedures were exposed by an inquest into the death of a former cage fighter who was pepper-sprayed by officers. Jacob Michael, 25, died by misadventure as a result of “cocaine induced excited delirium”, an inquest jury found.

But the jury also found that a catalogue of police failures may have contributed to his death.

Speaking after the inquest, Michael’s mother, Christine Michael, said she was disappointed by the verdict and said she still held the police responsible.

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Larry Fedja

Report calls for effective learning from inquests

Police Cell Victimsprovided by: INQUEST
published: 1 October 2012

A week after the appointment of the Chief Coroner, HHJ Peter Thornton, and at a time of renewed interest in the coronial system following the publication of the report of the Hillsborough panel, INQUEST launches a groundbreaking new report ‘Learning from Death in Custody Inquests: A New Framework for Action and Accountability’.

The report highlights the serious flaws in the learning process following an inquest into a death in custody or following contact with state agents.

In the report INQUEST’s co-directors Deborah Coles and Helen Shaw argue that the absence of a mechanism to capture and act upon the rich seam of data available from well conducted and costly inquests leads to unnecessary further loss of life.

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