'Safe-LEE'

If you would be a real
seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.

Lee was 19 years old when he was arrested on 26th January 2005 for stealing three bottles of shampoo from a local supermarket near his grandmothers’
home, where he was living at that time.
Lee was a drug mis-user. He had been using heroin and crack cocaine for three years. He was on a methadone detox program supported by a local
organisation in the community.

He had a girlfriend, a 3 year old son, and his daughter just three weeks old.
He was remanded in custody in Brinsford YOI after being convicted of theft.
He was placed on a subutex (rapid detox program) for two weeks.
He ended this program
two days prior to his death.

Lee received a visit from his girlfriend and children on Thursday 10th February.
She said "Lee was much happier
seeing the kids and he wanted
help to get off the drugs!!."

He also received a visit from the Probation Service to do a pre-sentence report
on 11th February.

He was expected to be out on a drug treatment and testing order the following Thursday after appearing in court.
He died the next day.

Saturday morning Lee requested to see a doctor but was visited by a nurse who prescribed paracetamol for toothache.
That afternoon he tried calling his girlfriend but his phone card had not got enough credit.

He had been on association and later returned to his shared cell. The following is what was recorded on prison files and statements by fellow inmates.

At 8.00pm the inmates were locked down for the night. At 8.15pm an officer recorded that he had checked the two inmates in
Lee's cell and all was well.

Lee's cellmate claims Lee was talking through a hole in the pipe to inmates
next door. He recalled seeing Lee take a 'sleeper' before then falling asleep himself.

It was recorded that at 8.40pm his cell mate claims to have woken from his
sleep to use the toilet.
He got off the top bunk and found Lee hanging from the side of his bed.

He raised the alarm and an officer eventually arrived, looked in the cell and told him to untie Lee before he would enter. The officer then went down the corridor to call for assistance and returned to find
Lee on the floor where his cell mate
had placed him.

The officer decided to go in followed by another colleague who picked Lee up by his arm, letting him go and banging
his head on the floor. They eventually called for a nurse and paramedics.

The nurse arrived and attempted resuscitation
Paramedics arrived 15 minutes later and continued CPR but pronounced
Lee dead at 9.53pm.

A few days later Lee's mother visited the prison and the cell where he died.

She was given Lee's effects which
included a list that he had written of positive things he wanted to do, and his watch with the alarm set for 8.18pm!
His mother felt the timing of Lee's alarm was significant to his death and reported it to the police who were totally disinterested!

Every night to this day the alarm goes off for a whole minute.
Lee's mother said..
"Its like hearing Lee's final cry for help! over and over again!".

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