An improvement on feeble IPCC responses to police abuse might help avoid the kind of anger shown in the summer's riots.
First published at guardian.co.uk,
Showing posts with label demetre fraser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label demetre fraser. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Smiley Culture: Only the truth can justify this pain
The Emanuel family struggling for justice against the odds
Lee Jasper
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| March for Justice - London March 2011 - picture by Jerry Barnett |
The inevitable conclusion of the Independent Police Complaints Commission that no police officer will face any charges or disciplinary charges as a result of the death of world reggae icon Smiley Culture aka David Emmanuel, illustrates both the inadequacy of the IPCC and the cold stone reality that for the British black community, justice remains a burning illusion.
Mark Duggan, David Emmanuel, Kingsley Burrell, Demetre Fraser and the horrific desecration and foul abuse suffered recently by the Christopher Adler family all represent cases that have left the black community and many white people who understand their significance reeling in shock and anger.
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| L - R: Kingsley Burrell, Demetre Fraser, David Emanuel |
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| Christopher Alder - http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/22/government-apologise-alder-family-police-death?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038 |
Failure to tackle institutional racism costs us all.
However, the appalling truth is that within Government, the London Mayors Office and the senior ranks of the police, there is no real appreciation or understanding of the depth of anger and injustice that these tragic cases generate in our communities.
That’s because racism and institutional racism are no longer considered priorities and the results are, that the invaluable lessons learned from the inquiry into the Stephen Lawrence murder have now been discarded as "political correctness gone mad." That fundamental mistake has cost London and the country dear and will do so again in the future.
What’s not understood is that a black death in police custody represents the perennial fault line in relations between the British police and black communities. When Mark Duggan was shot he was the fourth black man to die in suspicious circumstances since January this year. Since then more have died. Had that raw sensitivity and anger relating to these tragic events been better understood then maybe the riots that took place this summer could have been avoided.
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| Picture from R.I.P Mark Duggan |
The critical fault line in police black community relations
Deaths in police custody remains the one issue that can transform police and community relations in an instant. This issue above almost all others' taps into the deep psyche of the British black community
The very idea of black men and women being statutorily detained, treated like animals and dying at the brutal hands of callous and arrogant racists protected by unjust and inequitable laws sends a shiver down the spine of every black family in the land.
It’s a story we know well; engrained as it is deep in our DNA and collective memories. A modern day equivalent of a Jim Crow lynching in America’s old Deep South or the brutality of the South African Apartheid regime or the beating of Rodney King. Brutal white racism backed up by institutionally racist organisations of state that conspire to deny black people the justice they deserve.
In modern-day Britain very few police officers have ever been charged and none convicted of manslaughter or murder. What we see those effected experience are the impenetrable barriers of ancient laws, lengthy and complex procedures and enormous costs that make the attainment of justice seem like an unobtainable dream.
The systemic racism and innate injustice of the institutions of state are the real problem.
The overwhelming perception of black communities is that the current system of IPCC investigation and Coroner inquests is so stacked against all citizens that in effect, it protects the guilty and denies access to justice to the victims.
Whether one looks at the investigative procedures of the IPCC, hidebound and contingent on a phalanx of Byzantine rules and procedures, or one examines the medieval coroner inquest system whose creaking and ancient procedures leave families aghast at the way this system of inquiry fails to meet the basic test of justice and liberty in the 21st century, the outcome is the same: a routine and consistent denial of justice and a failure to enable an exacting search for the truth.
The institution under the greatest strain in terms of its effectiveness and credibility is the IPCC. With a predictable monotony they routinely fail to assist in the search for the truth. The case of Mark Duggan has torn their battered credibility to shreds. What we have seen in the IPCC investigation of Duggan’s shooting is an enfeebled organisation with weak leadership in deep collusion with the police.
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| Heavy handed policing at the UFFC march last month. (Photo by Delroy Constantine Simms) |
Independent Police Complaint Cover (Up)
The IPCC was used to legitimise and corroborate a web of lies and misinformation surrounding the shooting of Mark Duggan. The majority of the IPCC community reference group designed to provide community reassurance about the rigor, effectiveness course and direction of the investigation resigned in utter disgust at the consistent and systemic failure of the IPCC to disclose critical information regarding this tragic event and hold the police to proper account.
Bizarrely, the IPCC treated the police officers involved in the Smiley arrest, as witnesses not suspects. This meant that the officers were allowed to refuse interviews or provide an adequate account under questioning and therefore, failed to provide proper explanations of their actions and the IPCC. They point blank refused to give a formal interview to the IPCC. The question is why? I believe the only reasonable answer is that they had something to hide.
Here is another massive anomaly. Why, according to the police officer accounts, did they handcuff Smiley after he stabbed himself through the heart? It is incomprehensible and unbelievable that they did so and no one I have spoken to believes that’s what happened. I believe this is a mendacious and malicious false account of what happened that day.
Everyone knows and understands that in a serious police raid, everyone is arrested and handcuffed whilst the property is searched. That’s standard police procedure.
In plain English, I believe the police officers involved are lying.
The Emanuel family struggling for justice against the odds
The David Emanuel family has acted with great dignity and restraint throughout the last 9 months. They initially expressed serious doubts about the ability of the IPCC to aid them in the search for the truth, and they were absolutely right in their assessment.
Speaking to the Guardian and expressed with great eloquence Merlin Emanuel speaks for all families when he says,
"We firmly believe Smiley was murdered and that the IPCC have let us down and treated us miserably," said Merlin Emanuel.
They promised us a thorough investigation, and that they would get to the bottom of what happened. Nevertheless, there are still so many unanswered questions – and the IPCC have now made sure that the officers who saw what happened are never going to be pressed to tell the truth about what happened that day," he said.
Summing up he said,
"Our experience has led us to the sad and awful conclusion that not only will there continue to be deaths in police custody but that grieving families will not receive justice or empathy from the system as it currently operates”.
There are two brief glimmers of light on the horizon that could offer a way out of the nauseating historical sequence of death and injustice.
One is a full and independent public judicial inquiry into deaths in police custody and the process of inquest. This could seek to draw a line under the past 50 years that have seen family after family doubly victimized as they are broken in the endless search for the truth. Such an inquiry would offer a new opportunity to ensure that justice is done and seen to be done.
The other is parliamentary and legislative reform of the now discredited IPCC. Such reform could grant more powers, authority and true independence to these investigations and the work of the IPCC enabling the forensic search for the truth.
My own assessment of the future is that none of this will happen soon, and it is therefore, inevitable that we will see more suspicious deaths followed by an enfeebled inconclusive IPCC cover up investigations. If I am right that we have not seen the last of riotous disturbance for where there is no justice, there can be no peace.
Lee Jasper
Monday, 3 October 2011
Activist Lorraine Bennett Jumps For Justice!
On Saturday Lorraine Bennett, a supporter of the campaigns against suspicious deaths in custody, overcame her fears and jumped out of a plane in order to raise public awareness and funds for the Campaign For Justice For Kingsley Burrell, Campaign For Justice For Demetre Fraser and Campaign For Justice For Smiley Culture.
On behalf of these campaigns I would like to say a massive thank you to Lorraine and I urge you to make a donation, however small, in recognition of Lorraine's bravery and to help these campaigns continue their good work.
JUMP FOR JUSTICE DONATION PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Jump-For-Justice/249824551698331
Lee Jasper
Here is Lorraine's account of her experience:
'Thought you'd all like to hear about my experience first hand-I would've loved to have gotten a DVD but the price was extortionate so hopefully this will give you an idea of how it was.
Walking out to the airfield with my instructor-Ricky-& two (much) younger girls and their instructors plus the cameraman I was nervous but strangely thought I'd be OK based on the fact everyone else was so calm! My first view of the plane made my heart drop-I'm not scared of flying despite being scared of flights-I've flown to JA & USA but THIS plane was not only tiny but they were in the middle of refuelling-through the wings! Whilst waiting the instrustors joked & I can only describe their humour as 'skydive junkie humour' -it didn't go very far in keeping me relaxed. Once the plane was refuelled we boarded-& when I say boarded I mean we squashed into the plane -each of us sat between our respective instructors legs with the camera guy sat between my legs-the 'skydive' humour continued as we taxi'd over the grass (yup grass-no runway-just grass!!) -they asked us to all cross our fingers as we soared into the air. It was a beautiful day yet this was the point at which I realised what was about to happen & I began to shake-not a little bit-my whole body began to shake uncontrollably. I thought I was hiding it well until all 3 instructors & the camera guy focused all their attention on me-as the plane climbed into the sky I felt every turn,drop & noise-covering my face with my hands I simply began to pray-this was NOTHING like being on a 747 & if I'm honest I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do what I set out to do! As we reached 5,000 feet-the sweats kicked in-there was still another 5,000 feet to climb & as far as I was concerned we were far too high already. The instructors continued to talk to me-their own students were SO calm (I put this down to youth -I remeber believing I was THAT invincible too!! Lol)...when we were almost at 10,000 feet I was told to sit on my instructors knee (cue another round of rather rude skydiver humour!)-as I did the plane tipped to one side-out of one window I could see the whole of Swindon laid out in front of me out of the other nothing but clouds & sky -for a moment I was stunned -it WAS beautiful & I remebered why I was doing this-Smiley,Kingsley & Demetre.That's not to say the fear dissapated but I knew I could do it. Eventually the 2min call came to put on our goggles & hats-I covered my face again (although why I kept doing this is still unclear to me-it didn't help! :) )- those 2 mins flew by-Ricky was at this point talking me through the moves & I tried really hard to listen but I'm not sure I took in anything he was saying! As the pilot called ''door'' I felt sick-the cameraman slid the door open & as the air rushed in the thought that I was baout to drop into nothing overtook everything else-I have two beautiful children & the thought that something might happen to me was something I had to push from my mind. As the first tandem shuffled to the door I began to take huge breaths & the level of shaking increased -I genuinely thought my heart would give out! Watching the first couple exit the plane was enough,I turned to Ricky & said ''I can't do this'' but he was already shuffling me toward the door-it was too late! I closed my eyes & felt my legs dangling in midair-remembering what I'd been told about hooking them under the plane I did it & thought again of Smiley,Demetre & Kingsley as I felt Ricky push away from the plane.Dropping into midair at a speed of 120mph was not the exhilarating ride that people make it out to be-it's the same feeling you get on a rollercoaster except it goes on & on & on!! I remember the wind in my face & Ricky tapping me to put my hands out-it was the last thing I wanted to do but I did it-it seemed to go on forever but in actual fact was only for 5,000ft...when I felt him tap me again I held my straps -so hard that when I landed I had the indentations of them in my hands & felt him release the parachute-except I didn't! I was convinced he'd unhooked me from him & I was about to fall even though we were quite obviously going back up! As we soared Ricky began to talk to me, telling me to open my eyes-I opened them-realised how high up we were & started to cry-& pray.I worked out I said ''oh God'' once for every foot we fell! :) The descent didn't get any better,I sparodically opened my eyes when I felt I could but even when we were a mile up the fear was too much & I couldn't relax the way I should have. As we came in to land the relief was overwhelming & as Gary unhooked me I burst into tears-once I'd gotten it out of my system I got to my feet & went over to get a hug from Talia. I have never been so glad for a hug in my life! Talking to all the instructors afterwards they told me they didn't think I was going to do it!(They weren't the only one's)
So whilst I'm proud I did it I think calling me brave is an overstatement!...brave would have been to do it without the crying or to have done it ,opened my eyes & enjoyed the ride but that definitely wasn't me!
It was an experience I'll never forget but even writing about it makes my palms sweat & thinking about the initial drop makes me shrudder! I hope that somehow I've made someone,somewhere think a little more about deaths in custody & the lives of Smiley,Kingsley & Demetre,how they were lost for nothing & about the families that have been left behind-if I've done any of that it was all worth it.'
NJNP.
Lorraine.x
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| Left to Right: Kingsley Burrell, Demetre Fraser, Smiley Culture https://www.facebook.com/Justice4Kingsley https://www.facebook.com/Justice4Demetre https://www.facebook.com/Campaign4Justice4SmileyCulture Please support the UFFC Annual Remembrance Procession Against Deaths in Custody 29 October · 12:30 - 15:30 https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172866569434620 |
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Deaths in Police Custody: Stereotyping the victim - article from the Institute of Race Relations
IRR News examines the recent killing of Mark Duggan by armed Met police officers in the context of similar deaths.
The IRR has monitored blackdeaths in custody since the 1970s as young black men tend to die at the hands of police and prison officers in disproportionate numbers. Our monitoring is also in response to the historic concerns of BME communities, and the African-Caribbean community in particular, who have argued that, ever since the 1960s, they have been subjected to a different kind of policing where disproportionate force and discriminatory criminal procedures are used.
Stereotyping the victim
On examining deaths that have occurred over the years involving members of the African-Caribbean community in particular, it becomes clear that, in the immediate aftermath of death, information is placed in the public domain, citing unnamed police sources, which casts doubt on the character of the deceased, tending to frame him as a violent and dangerous black criminal. This information is released long before any investigation, post-mortem or inquest has been carried out. The victim is said to be a habitual drug user, a drug dealer, someone with a violent past etc, all of which not only pre-judges the victim but also provides vindication for police action such as a stop, a search or use of force or particular restraint techniques. In this way, the media and the police create a particular framework for dealing with incidents involving the police and the African-Caribbean community, one in which extreme force against black criminality is seen as a necessary evil.
By the end of the week following Mark Duggan's death, the campaign about him was in full swing. We were told by unnamed police sources that the police officer involved had 'an honest-held belief that he was in imminent danger of him and his colleagues being shot'. Mark Duggan had already been labelled a 'gangster' or 'suspected gangster' and the Daily Telegraph and the Sun, amongst others, had published stories that he was linked to 'Manchester gangsters'.[13] The Daily Mail went even further claiming that 'Duggan was a "crack dealer" linked to a string of feared gangs'.[14] We were served up the threat of guns, gangsters and drugs, the perfect combination for the Met police to absolve themselves of culpabilty for the death.
What can Mark Duggan's family expect?
In reality very little is known about the circumstances surrounding Mark Duggan's death. And in all likelihood very little will be made public until the various official procedures following the death have been completed.
There will be an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which may submit its findings to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The CPS will then decide if the police officers involved should face prosecution. This is highly unlikely, as there has only been one successful prosecution of police officers for their involvement in the death of a black person - and that was in 1971.[15] And then, depending on their findings, the IPCC could also recommend that the officers involved should be disciplined but again this is very unlikely and would not amount to much. And then many years down the line an inquest will probably be held. I say probably here, as Mark Duggan's family might well have to take legal action to ensure one is held. Six years after his death, the family of Azelle Rodney, who was also shot dead by the Met police, is still waiting for a full inquest into his death. (See below for further details on the death of Azelle Rodney.) Instead, the family have had to settle for an inquiry conducted by a judge, because the police's surveillance evidence had to be kept secret!
Unfortunately, the reality for the families of those who die in custody is bleak. They have to fight long and hard for any semblance of justice. The sustained campaigns fought by the families of Christopher Alder, Joy Gardner, Mikey Powell, Habib Ullah, Sean Rigg and Brian Douglas (to name but a few) is a testament to the tenacity which is needed.
By Harmit Athwal
FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ HERE: http://www.irr.org.uk/2011/august/ha000019.html
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| Mark Duggan |
Stereotyping the victim
On examining deaths that have occurred over the years involving members of the African-Caribbean community in particular, it becomes clear that, in the immediate aftermath of death, information is placed in the public domain, citing unnamed police sources, which casts doubt on the character of the deceased, tending to frame him as a violent and dangerous black criminal. This information is released long before any investigation, post-mortem or inquest has been carried out. The victim is said to be a habitual drug user, a drug dealer, someone with a violent past etc, all of which not only pre-judges the victim but also provides vindication for police action such as a stop, a search or use of force or particular restraint techniques. In this way, the media and the police create a particular framework for dealing with incidents involving the police and the African-Caribbean community, one in which extreme force against black criminality is seen as a necessary evil.
By the end of the week following Mark Duggan's death, the campaign about him was in full swing. We were told by unnamed police sources that the police officer involved had 'an honest-held belief that he was in imminent danger of him and his colleagues being shot'. Mark Duggan had already been labelled a 'gangster' or 'suspected gangster' and the Daily Telegraph and the Sun, amongst others, had published stories that he was linked to 'Manchester gangsters'.[13] The Daily Mail went even further claiming that 'Duggan was a "crack dealer" linked to a string of feared gangs'.[14] We were served up the threat of guns, gangsters and drugs, the perfect combination for the Met police to absolve themselves of culpabilty for the death.
What can Mark Duggan's family expect?
In reality very little is known about the circumstances surrounding Mark Duggan's death. And in all likelihood very little will be made public until the various official procedures following the death have been completed.
There will be an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which may submit its findings to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The CPS will then decide if the police officers involved should face prosecution. This is highly unlikely, as there has only been one successful prosecution of police officers for their involvement in the death of a black person - and that was in 1971.[15] And then, depending on their findings, the IPCC could also recommend that the officers involved should be disciplined but again this is very unlikely and would not amount to much. And then many years down the line an inquest will probably be held. I say probably here, as Mark Duggan's family might well have to take legal action to ensure one is held. Six years after his death, the family of Azelle Rodney, who was also shot dead by the Met police, is still waiting for a full inquest into his death. (See below for further details on the death of Azelle Rodney.) Instead, the family have had to settle for an inquiry conducted by a judge, because the police's surveillance evidence had to be kept secret!
Unfortunately, the reality for the families of those who die in custody is bleak. They have to fight long and hard for any semblance of justice. The sustained campaigns fought by the families of Christopher Alder, Joy Gardner, Mikey Powell, Habib Ullah, Sean Rigg and Brian Douglas (to name but a few) is a testament to the tenacity which is needed.
By Harmit Athwal
FULL ARTICLE CAN BE READ HERE: http://www.irr.org.uk/2011/august/ha000019.html
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| Kingsley Burrell and Demetre Fraser |
Friday, 5 August 2011
March 4 Justice 4 Demetre Fraser: Planning Meeting
CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE FOR DEMETRE FRASER:
Planning Meeting.
Date and time: 12 August 6.30pm - 800pm
Address: Copleston Centre Copleston Road London SE15 4AN
We will be meeting to discuss the stewarding of the march and other logistics. Please support by publicising and ensure you attend.
Event page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=105170749583433
March 4 Justice 4 Demetre Fraser: Saturday 13th August 12 noon.
Starting at Gibbon Road SE15 onto Evelina Road, turn right into Peckham Rye, bear left onto Rye Lane, at the end turn right onto Peckham High Street, then onto Camberwell Green.
Demetre Fraser aka T.Dot 21 years of age from London died after being visited by the West Midlands Police force on the 31st May 2011. The official version of events is that he committed suicide by jumping off a 11th floor balcony. That is heavily disputed and undermined by the fact that neighbours heard a violent struggle and saw evidence of such on the 11th and 8th floors. Please support the Fraser family's call for justice and join this march and the FaceBook campaign page.
Contact: Lee Jasper
Email: lee-jasper@live.com
Please put the date in your diary and spread the word. The official campaign page for Demetre is https://www.facebook.com/Justice4Demetre
NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SPREAD THE WORD AND LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS MARCH:
YouTube VIDEO AD for the march, please share on all your pages.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wfQk6f-GGo&feature=channel_video_title
FLYER/POSTER - Please share the links download, print, display and distribute!
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60579141/Flyer-Poster-for-the-March-for-Justice-for-Demetre-Fraser
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60501692/Flyer-Poster-for-the-March-for-Justice-for-Demetre-Fraser
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Demetre Fraser : Activist march for justice
If you know where your son is right now you're very lucky. Consider the plight of Josie Fraser. Watch a mothers emotional appeal for your support here. As a people we must regain our tradition of marching and protest. Please read this and take action in support.
Demetre Fraser aka T.Dot was 21 years of age from London Peckham. He died after being visited by the West Midlands Police Force on the 31st May 2011. He was staying with a friend from Birmingham at the time.
The official version of events is that he committed suicide by jumping off an 11th floor balcony of a highrise tower block in Druids Heath Birmingham.
That version of events is heavily disputed and undermined by the fact that neighbours heard a violent struggle and evidence of such on the 11th and 8th floors. The case in now being investigated by the IPCC.
Demetre’s death follows on from the cases of Kingsley Burrell in Birmingham and Smiley Culture in London.
We are demanding a public inquiry into all suspicious deaths in custody and the immediate suspension of all the police officers involved pending investigation.
Please bring your banners , placards, whistles, vuvezaelas and drums. If you can bring a sound system then bring it. We intend to demonstrate that we will not simply sit idly and be a silent witness to injustice.
We have virtually no resources to organise this demonstration so we are depending on the only real resource we have and that is you. Through social networking we can make this march a huge success but we need you're support to do that. If you can help in any way and want to offer your personal support contact me lee-jasper@live.com . We thank you in advance
Please support the Fraser family’s call for justice and join us on this march. You can help by:
- Posting this email to your networks and other websites.
- Joining the Facebook campaign page.
- Printing of leaflets and distributing them in you're area.
- Phoning up community radio stations asking them to support the march.
- Moblising people to attend the march.
Birmingham Coaches: PRICE £12.50 & TIME 7.30am departure. Deposits are required to book your seat on this coach. For further details please contact Paulette: email paulette60@btinternet.com.
If you’re on Facebook then you can confirm your attendance here. One Love One Aim – Justice.
Lee Jasper on behalf of Josie Fraser
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