THE FAMILY of Smiley Culture have hired their own pathologist to examine the reggae icon’s body as part of their quest to find out the truth surrounding his tragic death.
Merlin Emmanuel said as well as the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation, the family would be conducting their own enquiry.
Smiley Culture, real name David Emmanuel, died on March 15 during a police raid on his Surrey home.
To a packed audience at a public meeting in Brixton, south London, on Thursday, Mr Emmanuel said: “On average one person a week has died in police custody in the last decade. How is it that not one police officer has been convicted of the murder of a citizen in their custody?
“It is for this reason that my confidence in the IPCC and the judicial process is minimal.”
He added: “The IPCC can tell us what happened to Smiley and others, but what they can’t do is guarantee justice. That we must do for ourselves.
“I say to Prime Minister David Cameron and those that came before him, if you can champion justice and freedom in foreign territories, how can you ignore what is happening on your own doorstep?”
Mr Emmanuel urged the community to show their support by uniting and backing their campaign by attending a peaceful march from Wandsworth Road to Scotland Yard on April 16.
IPCC chairman, Mike Franklin, said: “The community demands the truth and I’m seeking the truth, but I need your support in this process. I need your help to see it through to the end. I need to ensure that justice is done for Smiley Culture.”
He said the lack of independent witnesses was the biggest hurdle in the investigation into the 48-year-old’s death that could only be overcome by extensive forensic examination.
Mr Franklin added: “The only other people there other than Mr Emmanuel were four Metropolitan police officers. There were no independent witnesses.
“Anyone who has any experience of investigating deaths in police custody would know they would have a challenge facing their investigation.”
