Brutal cops mowed down a suspect in their patrol car before spraying him with CS gas and beating him with batons, shocked witnesses claimed last night.
 Officers then sat on 38-year-old Michael Powell after swooping on the helpless dad-of-three like a flock of vultures, according to his distraught family. Less than two hours later Mr Powell, who had suffered a mental breakdown, was pronounced dead at Birminghams City Hospital after being taken into police custody. The alarming allegation that West Midlands Police officers deliberately knocked Mr Powell down emerged after eyewitnesses gave detailed statements to the Powell familys solicitor, Errol Robinson. Now the shocking allegations have led the leading black lawyer to warn of a possible backlash by the citys black community which he claims is becoming increasingly alienated by police strong-arm tactics. He said: I am not one to exaggerate but the tension among the black community at the moment is very real and could explode into something more serious. Police are anxious to build a stronger relationship with the black community but they are not going to achieve that while some of their officers behave like thugs. The officers involved in this incident must be suspended from duty immediately if police want to maintain the increasingly fragile relation-ship with the local community. Detectives complain of a wall of silence when investigating incidents among the black community but it does not help when they appear to be treating black suspects like animals. Mr Powell, who had been suffering from depression but was not on any medication, was arrested in Wilton Street, Lozells, in the early hours of last Sunday. He died after collapsing at Thornhill Road police station, sparking an immediate inquiry by the Police Complaints Authority. Last night Mr Powells distraught mother Claris said her fit and active son did not have a history of mental illness and that she had called police after fearing he would harm himself. She said: Mikey was getting worked up because he couldnt find his keys and had smashed a window when I called police to help me calm him down. I thought the police might be able to talk to him and maybe even offer some form of psychiatric help. But instead they attacked him before even talking to anyone on the scene. She added: I saw my son as he was being taken away by the police and all he kept saying was Im sorry mum, Im sorry. That was the last time I saw Mikey alive. Witnesses have claimed that officers drove at Mr Powell after he damaged their patrol car as they pulled up outside his mothers house. A family friend, who refused to be identified, said: He was not trying to get away but an officer still sprayed CS gas in his face and then others set on Mikey with their batons until he dropped to the floor. Then at least eight officers piled in and literally sat on him until the police van arrived to take him away. Mr Robinson added: There is also some suggestion that one of the officers at the scene made a comment to a potential witness which could be deemed to be intimidation. Mr Powell was completely defenceless when he was sprayed with CS gas which severely incapacitates its victim. By then he was no danger to anyone and was not putting up any kind of struggle so why several officers felt it necessary to sit on him is beyond belief. Mr Powells sister Sharon, 40, last night paid tribute to her brother who she described as a loving father. She added: He had recently been promoted to team leader at his workplace and he was an avid reader who loved life and lived for his three kids. Mikey was a devotional man who regularly read the Bible and had never been in any kind of trouble with the authorities. When I arrived at the scene I saw a number of officers swoop down on him like a flock of vultures. I couldnt even see my brother because there was so many officers on top of him. He was still alive when we saw him being bundled into the back of the police van. The police wouldnt tell us where they were taking him and the next thing we heard was that he had died. Although an initial post mortem proved inconclusive police said it had helped establish that Mr Powell did not die as a result of asphyxiation, blood loss or multiple injuries. A second independent post mortem is expected to take place tomorrow at the request of the family. A spokesman for the Police Complaints Authority, which has appointed Northampton-shire Police to conduct the inquiry, said: We will conduct a rigorous and independent inquiry to establish exactly what led to the tragic death of Mr Powell. Mr Robinson last night urged witnesses to contact him at McGrath and Co on 0121 643 4121. | 
