Prison abuse cases

id
1534220
level (num)
1
level (text)
series
identifier (local_mss)
3150522
max depth
1
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created
2019-01-30 20:27:00 UTC
updated
2019-01-30 20:28:15 UTC

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"3150522", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1963 - 1971", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1963/1971"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Prison abuse cases"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p> This series comprises correspondence, newspaper clippings, medical examination reports, prison regulation guidelines, and legal documents pertaining to the inhumane treatment of detainees by the South African Security Police. The General Advocacy and Research files include Carlson's appeal to the Minister of Justice to investigate the conditions under which 90-day detainees were imprisoned, so that the perpetrators could be punished, victims could be compensated, and litigation could be avoided. Printed matter ranges from articles by medical experts whom Carlson employed to clippings on the seeming epidemic of deaths in detention.</p> <p>The majority of this series consists of information about inquests and requests for inquests brought by the families of prisoners who died under suspicious circumstances while in detention. Two of the most significant cases in the series are those of Looksmart Ngudle and Julia Lenkoe: the first, because it brought the torture of political prisoners to the attention of an international public, and the second, because of government reprisals taken against Carlson during the trial. The Ngudle Correspondence speaks to police intimidation of Ngudle's family, Carlson's efforts to bring forward witnesses, and the coordination of expert medical evidence. Legal documents include an affidavit by Carlson detailing the difficulty he had in getting information from the Security Police. Much of the Lenkoe Correspondence deals with Carlson's attempts to find witnesses as well as Lenkoe's post-mortem reports. Carlson's notes in the Lenkoe case reveal his personal documentation of witnesses' statements and provide insights into his strategy. Because of Carlson's prominent standing in the international legal world, the Lawyer's Committee in Washington sent Dr. Alan Moritz, chief pathologist to the United States Armed Forces, to give evidence at Lenkoe's inquest.</p> <p>Another important case in this series is <span class=\"title\">Joseph Helao Shityuwete v. The Commissioner of Police and Others</span>, 1967-1969, also referred to as \"The Case of Gabriel Mbindi.\" Here, Shityuwete, one of the accused in <span class=\"title\">The State v. Tuhadelini and Thirty-Six Others</span>, applied to the Supreme Court to protect his fellow inmate, Gabriel Mbindi, from assaults by the Security Police. Correspondence details the Commission of Prisons' attempt to prevent Carlson from visiting his clients and Carlson's work to obtain a monetary settlement for Mbindi. The affidavits include statements by the Security Police as well as Mbindi's fellow inmates, who either witnessed or suffered similar assaults. In addition, the Shityuwete files comprise the official trial application that Carlson compiled for court as well as court orders, memoranda, invoices, and newspaper clippings. Carlson used Mbindi's settlement discussions as leverage to commute the sentence of another Tuhadelini defendant, Johannes Otto.</p>"}
date_start
1963
keydate
1963
date_end
1971
date_inclusive_start
1963
date_inclusive_end
1971

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  1. General advocacy and research [3/1]
  2. Mokhali, Simon and Andrew Tsanku – affidavits
  3. Ngudle, Looksmart Solwandle – inquest [7/1]
  4. Kitson, Norma – application for psychiatric treatment
  5. Zephaniah Mothopeng v. The State
  6. Shopala, Leo – inquest
  7. Joseph Helao Shityuwete v. The Commissioner of Police and Others, "The Case of Gabriel Mbindi" [7/1]
  8. Isaac Setshedi v. The State
  9. The State v. J. D. Tarshish
  10. Kgoathe, Nicodemus – inquest [3/1]
  11. Julia Lenkoe v. The Minister of Police and Major T.J. Swanepoel [7/1]
  12. Haron, Imam – inquest [2/1]