Police restraint contributed to Leon Briggs death, jury finds

Leon Briggs vigil

source: The Guardian
published: 12 March 2021

The way in which police officers restrained a man with drug-induced psychosis “more than minimally” contributed to his death in Luton in 2013, an inquest jury in Milton Keynes has found by unanimous verdict.

Leon Briggs, a 39-year-old father of two of mixed ethnic background, was a lorry driver and also taught computer skills to older people. His family described him as “a loving brother and father, caring and genuine”.

He was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to Luton police station on 4 November 2013. Briggs died about two hours later at Luton & Dunstable hospital as a result of “amphetamine intoxication in association with prone restraint and prolonged struggling”, with a secondary cause of heart disease, the senior coroner Emma Whitting has previously said.

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Watchdog drops probe of officers over Anthony Grainger shooting

Anthony Grainger
Anthony Grainger

source: Manchester Evening News
published: 3 February 2021

The police watchdog has dropped an investigation into three former senior Greater Manchester Police officers over their ‘command and control’ of an armed operation during which a father-of-two was shot dead.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said today two of three independent investigations arising from the fatal shooting of Anthony Grainger it launched have now concluded.

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Black Lives Matter UK to start funding groups from £1.2m donations

Black Lives Matter (BLM) Protesterssource: The Guardian (World)
published: 11 January 2021

Black Lives Matter UK will be releasing more than £100,000 to black-led organisations across the country by the end of the month, as protesters pledge to build on last year’s anti-racism demonstrations.

The campaign group received £1.2m in donations via a GoFundMe appeal, following widespread protests last summer.

It registered as a community benefit society in September under the name Black Liberation Movement UK, which it had to do before it could receive the donations.

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