New evidence emerged January 1980: a prison inmate was overheard discussing his and another inmate’s involvement in the crime. ibid.
‘One of the most serious miscarriages of justice in legal history.’ ibid. BBC news
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: Pace. ibid. BBC news
The police culture of a previous era persisted. ibid. BBC news
Four years after Pace, a case in Cardiff would publicly expose the dangers of a police service that still chased confessions. On Valentine’s Day 1988 20 year old Lynette White was found stabbed to death in her flat in Butetown near the Cardiff docks. 10 months later her ex-partner Stephen Miller was arrested on suspicion of murder and questioned at Cardiff police station. After five days of interrogation he confessed to Lynette White’s murder … At his trial Miller was found guilty of murder along with two other men both implicated by his taped confession … ‘They’ve become known as the Cardiff 3: serving a prison sentence for life for a murder they say they didn’t commit.’ ibid. television news
Christine Margaret Keeler: I am arrested on charges pertaining to perjury, conspiracy and attempting to obstruct the course of justice … The Trial of Christine Keeler VI, Stephen to Christine, rozzer to Christine, BBC 2020
On Monday July 13th [2015: at 8:58 am jailers went to cell 95 and observed Miss Bland hanging from the privacy partition in her cell. Say Her Name: The Life & Death of Sandra Bland ***** HBO/Sky Documentaries 2020
Sandra Bland Rest In Power. Arrested for Traffic Violation: Killed in Police Custody. ibid. protest banner
‘You just slammed me head into the ground. Don’t you even care about that?’ ibid. Bland arrest filmed after rozzers’ assault
Cell 95: ‘Where she was didn’t have cameras … You have a thirty-gallon trash can in the inmates’ cell that gives her access to a plastic bag. If she was in as much pain as she said she was in, I just don’t see how she could have tied that perfect – very perfect – noose. ibid. family
‘Step out or I will remove you … I’m gonna yank you outta here … You are under arrest … I’m gonna drag you outta there.’ ibid.
‘That man [arresting rozzer] slapped her. You can hear it.’ ibid. lawyer
‘You are about to break my wrist! Can you stop?’ ibid. on arrest
‘The destruction of evidence on this family when they [rozzers] know they [family] were about to bury her. You don’t release a body if there’s more tests that you need on that body.’ ibid. lawyer
‘I don’t think there’s ever been an issue like this.’ ibid. mother
‘There are uneducated people who are hell-bent on self-extermination. I am not one of them. I am into building up my kings and queens. So for me, Black Lives Matter. ibid. Sandra’s activism
‘I am here to change history.’ ibid.
‘Say Her Name!’ ibid.
‘She had scrapes on her upper right side of her back.’ ibid. autopsy
‘Here is a guy who should clearly have been charge with assault. Battery … ’ ibid.
Trooper Encinia is fired. The Grand Jury begins to investigate the Walter Country Jail. ibid. caption
‘Evidence of deep bruising … someone has put their knee into her back.’ ibid. autopsy
‘We know that someone’s spirit can be broken.’ ibid. autopsy
‘Everyone was acquitted of wrong doing.’ ibid. television news
‘The jail were filled out in a way that should not have been filled out. They were turned in with false information.’ ibid. rozzer’s apologist’s admission
‘She was hung from a trash-bag. Well, the problem with that trash-bag is is that it didn’t have her finger-prints on it … In fact it didn’t have her DNA on it.’ ibid. lawyer
The family settles for $1.9 million and a prison of jail reform and police de-escalation training. ibid. caption
Police officers around the country you need to hear my voice – Tell the Fricking’ Truth. ibid. Charles Witherspoon, ex-rozzer
‘No, we didn’t go back there and tie a bag around her neck, but it is our responsibility to take care of her. ibid. R G Smith, sheriff
The Sandra Black Act is now law in Texas, mandating state-wide reforms to increase prison inmate safety. Police de-escalation training was removed from the bill. ibid. caption
Portsmouth, South Virginia: ‘1-5-1 shots fired suspect down … 1-5-1 I’m not getting a pulse; starting CPR …’ This World: Unarmed Black Male, BBC 2020
‘Deadly Officer-Involved Shooting: ‘An 18 year old male: he was allegedly …’ ibid. Wavy.com television news
1,146 people were killed by police in America in 2015. 36 officers were charged over the deaths. 6 were convicted. ibid. caption
William Chapman was one of 306 African-Americans killed by police last year. ibid.
42 police officers were killed in America last year. ibid.
No charges were brought against Officer Rankin over Kirill’s death. But he was put on desk duty for almost 3 years. ibid.
The judge has decided the jury won’t be told about Rankin’s previous shooting or William’s disciplinary record. ibid.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police has sparked America’s biggest series of protests over race in a generation, highlighting once again the deep divide between black and white. With violent scenes and police forces seemingly out of control. The protests have gone global. Panorama: George Floyd: A Killing that Shook the World, BBC 2020
Could George Floyd’s death finally force America to confront the scourge of racism within. ibid.
Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder. Three other officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. ibid.
The latest in an endless line of lives taken by violent cops. It is part of the black experience: an American tragedy. ibid.
This man died after being restrained by police. These same words were uttered two years later by George Floyd whose death sparked outrage on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK if you’re black, you’re more than twice as likely to die as a white person in police custody. Panorama investigates unanswered questions in two British deaths, and in one, reveals new allegations of police cover-up. Panorama: I Can’t Breathe: Black & Dead in Custody, BBC 2021
Steven Clark’s case was classified as a missing person investigation for 28 years. And during that time was subjected to numerous reviews by senior police officers, who all classified Steven as missing. But then in 2020 a new police team reviewed the case and classified Steven’s disappearance as murder. Accused of Murdering our Son: The Steven Clark Story, ITV 2021, captions
14 September 2020: Charles and Doris Clark are arrested on suspicion of their son Steven’s murder. ibid.
There were two reported sightings after Steven’s disappearance by people who knew him. ibid.
If Charles and Doris killed Steven, then not only are they the best actors I’ve ever met but they’ve got me beat, because I don’t think they murdered Steven. ibid. investigator
Two people who were arrested on suspicion of the murder of Steven Clark have now been released from the investigation without charge. ibid. caption
My name is Bijan Ebrahimi. My life is in danger. I’ve got a mob behind my door. There’s 6, 7 neighbours and I can’t go out the door because I am not safe. Murdered by a Mob: The Murder of Bijan Ebrahimi ***** Channel 5 2021, emergency appeal to rozzers, Channel 5 2021
Despite calling from the police, despite calling for the council repeatedly, repeatedly, he received no support. He was ignored. ibid. old dude
What part of be quiet do you not understand. Shut up. ibid. rozzer in station
The murder was described as deeply shocking vigilante attack. The quiet disabled Iranian refugee was kicked and punched to death outside his face on a British council estate. Doused with white spirit and then set alight. ibid. news
This has been going on for years. Where the local authority and the police have known about this. And I thought, what on earth has happened to lead to this place? How many opportunities must have been missed for Bijan to end as a burning corpse? ibid. researcher
Bijan was subject to racial abuse. He was called a [deleted]. He was called a paedophile. They would throw stones at his plants. Break the pots. They would leave rubbish on his door, beer cans that sort of thing. They’d gather late at night outside his front door. Get drunk there. It would have been a constant barrage. ibid.
Thursday 11th July 2013, two days before his murder. Bijan started filming his neighbours. Bijan films a neighbours drinking with his children. ibid.
There are 78 previous calls from this man … ibid. two rozzers’ response
The police decided to arrest Bijan.’ ibid. counsel
You are making it worse. Now get inside. ibid.
Because he had taken photographs of children who had been pulling plants up or whatever it was in his garden, therefore it was an excuse in the minds of the real perpetrators, accusing him of being a paedophile. And there was nothing worse at that time. ibid. George Fergus, Mayor of Bristol 2012-216
He was all right. Really really really polite. Always outside, always outside three four times a day watering his flowers. And just smiling … Paedophile? No. That was just a cover … They call me names … I’m still going through racism. And nothing’s getting done about it … It’s getting worse and worse. ibid. neighbour