Burragubba on ‘Being Human’
RALLY AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE
Thurs 15th Sept 2011 at 11am outside of Parliament House
NO MORE DEATHS IN CUSTODY
Burragubba on ‘Deaths in Custody’
Lyji Vaggs inquest continues in Townsville today —
More deaths in custody — man who begged for help dies
See report by Ray Jackson last year —
more on the recent death of our brother, lyji vaggs, who died in the townsville hospital on 14 april 2010…
lyji was distressed and traumatised enough without the cops being called in. as if that would be of any assistance, most of us freeze up when the cops are around us…
why the cops were called and not family members who worked at the hospital or even his mother who is able to calm him is yet to be learnt. that information is clearly marked on his chart … the family now must go through that life-draining process of awaiting the coroner’s pleasure to perform the inquest before more of the facts are made known…again we extend our sincerest sympathies to the family, community and many friends of lyji vaggs.
COME TO THE RALLY AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Enquiries CONTACT SAM WATSON —
0401 227 443
A large part of the problem is that a disproportionately high number of Indigenous Australians are imprisoned by the law. Contrary to popular belief, the number of indigenous Australians who die in custody is roughly p
roportional to the total number who are imprisoned, compared to other ethnicities. For example, in 2009, an indigenous Australian is 14 times more likely to be in prison than a non-Indigenous Australian, and in 2009, 25% of prisoners in Australia were Indigenous. Approximately 18% of deaths in custody in Australia between 1990 and 2007 were of Indigenous people – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_deaths_in_custody
The family of a mentally ill Aboriginal man who died while trying to admit himself to hospital are shocked no-one will be prosecuted for his death.
They are now planning to sue Queensland Health.
Twenty-seven-year-old Lyji died with irreversible brain damage, two-days after a violent confrontation at Townsville hospital in April 2010.
A Queensland coronial inquest has found serious errors of judgement by staff, misuse of anti-psychotic drugs and prolonged use of handcuffs contributed to the death.
Family solicitor Steve Kerin told Queensland correspondent Stefan Armbruster it is one of the worst cases he has seen in three decades as a lawyer.
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW USING THIS LINK:
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/204391/Queensland-family-to-sue-over-hospital-death
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Can you please give me Ray Jackson’s contact, either email or phone number?