Author: Tippa Naphtali

Tippa Naphtali

Old Bailey: G4S guards found not guilty of manslaughter of Jimmy Mubenga

Jimmy Mubenga source: The Guardian
published: 16 December 2014

Three private security guards who restrained the Angolan deportee Jimmy Mubenga have been cleared of manslaughter by a jury at the Old Bailey.

The 46-year-old died after being restrained by the G4S guards on a British Airways flight on 12 October 2010. Terrence Hughes, 53, Colin Kaler, 52 and Stuart Tribelnig, 39, were accused of manslaughter by forcing Mubenga’s head down and restricting his breathing as the flight prepared to take off at Heathrow airport. The jury cleared them of the charges on Tuesday after a six-week trial.

The court had heard how fellow passengers said they heard Mubenga cry out: “I can’t breathe” as he was pinned down in his seat, despite already being handcuffed from behind with his seatbelt on.

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Tippa Naphtali

Kingsley Burrell ‘had his head covered during police custody’ pre-inquest hears

Kingsley Burrellsource: Birmingham Mail
published:  25 November 2014

A Birmingham man who died in police custody had his head covered with a sheet or blanket, it emerged at the city’s coroner’s court.

Kingsley Burrell, 29, from Hockley, died four days after he was detained in March 2011. His family have always claimed he was restrained using excessive force.

An inquest is finally due to take place in February.

At a pre-inquest hearing today, Birmingham coroner Louise Hunt said the dad-of-three had what could have been a sheet or blanket “wrapped around his head”.

She added that three pathologists had each given a “slightly different” cause of death. Mrs Hunt said she would ask them to consider what impact restraint had an impact on the cause of death and whether there was any evidence of a Taser being used.

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Tippa Naphtali

Theresa May: police use tasers too often against mentally ill

Drawing Taser Gunsource: The Guardian
published: 23 October 2014

The home secretary, Theresa May, is to order an in-depth review of the use of force by police amid particular concerns that physical restraint and Tasers are being used too often against mentally distressed people.

May will on Thursday cite evidence from the London Assembly that up to 30% of people Tasered by the Metropolitan police are emotionally or mentally distressed, and 50% of those Tasered are from black or other minority ethnic backgrounds.

The home secretary is to tell police forces to record far more information about mentally ill people they detain and about their use of physical restraint and of Taser electroshock stun guns.

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