Tippa Naphtali

West Midlands Police apologise to the Powell family

Mikey mother leads marcherscourtesy of INQUEST
published: 6 September 2013

As the family of Michael mark the 10th anniversary of his death tomorrow, Saturday 7 September, West Midlands Police have issued a formal apology for the first time.

Mikey Powell was 38 years old when he died after being detained by West Midlands Police on 7 September 2003. He had three children. He had a mental health crisis and smashed a window at the home he shared with his mother. His mother called the police for help, assuming they would take him to hospital.

During the incident that followed, the police drove a car at Mikey as fast as they could, claiming they thought he had a gun, which he did not. Mikey was injured but survived the collision.

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Larry Fedja

Campaigners pressure police to improve

Tippa Naphtali 2013by: The Voice Online
published: 4 July 2013

Mikey Powell, Kingsley Burrell, Sean Rigg, Olaseni Lewis, Roger Sylvester and many more – the tragic roll call of names of those who have died in police custody were read out several times during the UK’s first ever public forum on black mental health.

Senior political figures joined forces with police chiefs, health professionals, and also families of the dead who gave traumatic accounts of their long fight seeking justice for their loved ones.

Those directly involved in policing and mental health vowed it will be a turning point in the campaign for justice, empathy and expertise when dealing with those in mental crisis.

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Tippa Naphtali

Birmingham dad died serving a 9-week sentence

Marlon McIntoshby: Birmingham Mail
published: 1 July 2013

An investigation has been launched into the death of a father-of-three whose body was found in a cell at Birmingham Prison. Marlon McIntosh, from Quinton, was serving a nine-week sentence for theft when he was discovered dead on April 30.

The 28-year-old’s devastated relatives were told he was found hanged. An inquest has been opened and adjourned and security firm G4S, which runs the prison, said the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman was investigating.

The firm said the probe was “normal practice in such circumstances”.

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