The State

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Family celebrate lasting legacy as ‘Seni’s Law’ receives Royal Assent

Woman in jail cellsources: INQUEST
published: 1 November 2018

Today the Mental Health (Use of Force) Bill has received Royal Assent in Parliament, eight years after the death of Seni Lewis for whom it is intended as a lasting legacy. Known as Seni’s Law, the Bill will increase protections and oversight on use of force in mental health settings.

The Private Members Bill brought by Steve Reed MP is named after Olaseni ‘Seni’ Lewis, a 23 year old IT graduate who died as a result of prolonged restraint by police officers whilst a voluntary inpatient at Bethlem Royal Hospital, Croydon in 2010.

Steve Reed MP has worked closely with the family of Seni Lewis, who are constituents of Croydon North. He worked on this Bill with the family’s lawyer Raju Bhatt, INQUEST, and a coalition of NGOs including Agenda , Article 39, Mind, Rethink and YoungMinds.

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Petition: Seek an independent inquiry into the death of Kishni Mahay

Kishni Mahay

source: Express & Star
originally published: 23 May 2018

The son of a woman knocked down and killed by a police car is stepping up his fight for a public inquiry.

Raj Mahay [has launched] a petition [in June] for a review into the death of his mother Kishni Mahay.

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The 64-year-old was hit by a police car on Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, on March 14, 1989. The vehicle was responding to an emergency call. The death was ruled accidental and an investigation by police said Mrs Mahay had run out into the road.

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No charges for Scottish police over Sheku Bayoh death in custody

Sheku Bayoh

source: The Guardian
published: 3 October 2018

Scotland’s chief prosecutor has decided not to charge any police officers over the death of Sheku Bayoh, a trainee gas engineer who died in custody three years ago.

Bayoh died while being subdued by a group of officers soon after 7am on Sunday 3 May 2015 in Kirkcaldy, Fife. The officers used CS gas, pepper spray, batons and leg and arm restraints as they arrested him.

James Wolffe, the lord advocate, formally told Bayoh’s family that he would not prosecute any of the officers involved during a private meeting at the Crown Office in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

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