Mastodawn

"The police chokehold - also known as the Lateral Vascular Neck Restraint hold, LVNR or sleeper hold - involves compressing the arteries and veins in the neck to decrease blood supply to the brain.

Queensland is currently the only state in Australia to allow the controversial chokehold.

... in addition to the well-documented evidence base of chokeholds and the risks associated with death for all Australians, the unacceptable risk the chokehold poses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander First Peoples."

"there have been at least five deaths involving the chokehold in Queensland. These five victims were Stevie Lee Nixon-McKellar, Noombah, Christopher Martin, Carl Grillo and Michael Eddy."

"... Stevie Lee's mother, Dr Raylene Nixon, is spearheading a campaign to ban chokeholds in Queensland. "

"The campaign saw some early success. On 14 April 2023, then QPS Commissioner Katarina Caroll removed the chokehold as a use of force option for the Queensland Police Service. A direction to cease using the technique was put in place. References to the chokehold were removed from the police manual... But just one month later, Commissioner Caroll reneged, stating pressure from the Queensland Police Union... The LVNR is currently allowed in 'dangerous situations'.

"The death of George Floyd prompted jurisdictions around the globe to ban the chokehold...All Australian states and territories besides Queensland have banned the use of chokeholds. Victoria, NSW and Qld are all categorical in stating they do not teach or advocate the use of any form of chokehold or respiratory neck restraint."

Dr Nixon is continuing the campaign, see https://nit.com.au/10-03-2026/23068/mother-fights-to-ban-police-chokeholds-in-queensland

"A petition calling on the coroner to release the footage of Stevie-Lee's death can be signed online."

"Releasing the footage is in the public interest. In 2020, footage of George Floyd being physically restrained by Minneapolis police flooded mainstream and social media worldwide, triggering long over-due conversations about racism and police violence around the globe. ....

In the absence of justice before the courts, releasing the footage is crucial. In Australia, no police officer has ever been held accountable in relation to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who has died in police custody. In the absence of justice before courts of law, justice in the court of public opinion takes on special importance. "

#NoMoreDeathsInCustody #FirstNationsJustice #QueenslandPolice #QldGov #QLD #Justice4StevieLee #DeathsInCustody

Dr Raylene Nixon's fight for justice and an end to police chokeholds in Queensland

On 7 October, 2021, Steven Lee Nixon-McKeller was killed at the hands of two Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers in Toowoomba.Stevie Lee was just twenty-seven years old. He died after he was held...

National Indigenous Times