leslie thomas

The treatment of people in police custody has come under intense scrutiny since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – and not just in the US. More than 1740 people have died in custody or following police contact in England & Wales since 1990 – with recent figures showing Black people twice as likely to die than white people. Questions have also been raised about how accountable the police are for deaths of people under their watch. There has been no successful murder or manslaughter prosecution against a police officer. Here, we speak to civil liberties lawyer Leslie Thomas and political scientist Dr Floyd Millen.

Leslie Thomas says the positive action that is needed can only come when police forces acknowledge existing issues.

Without the chance to question those responsible for the tragedy, survivors and the bereaved will be rendered a voiceless group