Mikey Inquest Updates

4WardEverUK

Powell family applaud jury verdict

For Mikeyfrom the Mikey Powell Campaign
18th December 2009

The family and supporters of Mikey Powell have spoken of their relief following a damning jury verdict that he was killed in police custody.

Mikey died on 7th September 2003 after police attended his mothers home in Lozells, Birmingham because Mikey had smashed windows at the home whilst suffering a breakdown. Mikey was run down by a police car and was injured but survived the collision. The inquest heard that a family friend held him in a bear hug to try and prevent further trouble.

However the police discharged more than four times the recommended amount of CS spray on both Mikey and his friend, and hit him with a police baton. Up to eight officers held him down on the ground for at least 16 minutes and then took him to a police station and not a hospital.

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4WardEverUK

Jury find police restraint killed Mikey Powell

Mikey's final resting placefrom Black Mental Health UK
16th December 2009

The jury at the inquest into the tragic death while in police custody of service user Michael Lloyd Powell (known as Mikey) today returned a damning verdict  and found that the way that he was restrained resulted in his death from positional asphyxia.

We have worked for six years to reach this point – the jury have found that the position the police put Mikey in killed him .   Hopefully this will give some encouragement to other families who have lost someone in custody,’ Mikey’s sister Sieta Lambrias said.

This landmark case has gripped the attention of with large sections of the community who are increasingly concerned about how police officers treat vulnerable black service users when they are taken into custody.

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Larry Fedja

Jury in inquest sent to consider verdict

Lawall credits: Birmingham Mail
16th December 2009

An inquest jury into death of a Birmingham dad who died in police custody was today considering its verdict. The jury retired yesterday after hearing almost six weeks of evidence in the case of Michael Powell.

The 38-year-old died after collapsing in a police cell in September 2003. Police were called to the home of his mother in Lozells, after reports that he was causing a disturbance.

The inquest has heard how the father-of-three was hit by a police car and sprayed with CS gas spray before being restrained and put into a police van.

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