Leeds Medical Student

"Jumped from a 10 storey building"

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Amir Mahmood (deceased)

Corporate manslaughter victim?

Inquest Sham

 

Amir Mahmood, 25, was withdrawn from medical school after being told he had failed his fifth year for a second time after false allegations were made, soon after passing his final exam. The next day, he was found dead at the foot of the Worsley Building near Leeds General Infirmary in June 2007. The inquest verdict was delivered on 28th July, 2008 at Leed's Coroner's court. Despite overwhelming evidence of an unfair decision, educational negligence, failed duty of care, shambolic organisation, and a botched withdrawal process. The Coroner ruled against the family due to rule 42 which precludes by law to not rule against an institution - leading to a pre-determined verdict and unfair trial.

 

 

 

 

The highlights of the inquest sham are below, this is by far not a definitive list:
 

1. Narrative indicating the deceased is a liar because he did not have financial problems over some of the six years as he was claiming to tutors to illicit their sympathy simply because he received a monthly allowance for rent and food.

 

What would you call a student loan and credit cards, and an Email sent to a tutor citing he is on the edge of bankruptcy, in addition to trying to cut down hours from a part-time job to concentrate on his studies? The Coroner seems to have picked up a point from the parents statement that he was supported financially wherever possible, sure, he would get money whenever he asked,  but he obviously didn't want to feel like a charity/basket case by buying the odd bit of luxury such as a bag of chips and claiming every little thing back from his parents, he was an adult after all, not a 5 year old.

 

Student debt and financial difficulties is a real problem in the UK. The Coroner is out of touch with the real world. No one should seek to insult the dead in this way. No student has financial problems to "illicit sympathy". Amir is not here to defend himself. I know no competent Coroner who would make such an insulting statement showing his complete disregard of the financial problems faced by students today. Students or people do not have financial problems out of " choice" or to illicit sympathy. The Coroner's statement is not based on the evidence, nor is it based on a psychological autopsy of the deceased. It is based on the Coroner's narrow minded and discriminatory view of those who have the misfortune to suffer financial problems due to no fault of their own.

 

2. Narrative indicating the deceased is a liar because he did not have an appointment with his bank at 3pm on 8/6/07 as was being claimed in the final friday meeting earlier the same day, instead, this is being citied as a ruse to get the final withdrawl decision quicker instead of waiting for it by post.

 

The meeting ended telling Amir he is to be withdrawn after 6 years study to be a doctor, would you still go to your bank to make an appointment the same day as though things are perfectly normal, or would you be too depressed to go? Could he not go on Monday to make an appointment, or did it have to be have to be Friday? It's not exactly high on your list of priorities.. The fact he killed himself by jumping off a 10 storey building the next day is testament to that fact.

 

3. Narrative indicating because of the 2 reasons above, the deceased was probably lying to his family about being bullied as well due to self pressure and to illicit sympathy

 

Erm, hang on a minute.. The Coroner's own witness gave evidence to the inquest to say that he was threatened by the same tutor during a meeting: "I was told that if I told anyone in the university about that, I would have shot myself in the foot. As I left that meeting I thought my world had ended. I left feeling down and very depressed. As I walked passed the cafeteria towards the bridge connecting the Worsley building, I had the feeling of doing something stupid (by that I mean suicidal) in terms of my feelings rather than carry out the act.". He is being citied as a liar as well because of an auto plagarism and a patient file matter that was cleared up officially years ago, notice a trend here? And illicit sympathy for what exactly, he never informed anybody he was being withdrawn?

 

4. Denial of the existence of a document under oath detailing a student's personal stress

 

Other students and hard paperwork complete with date and time will confirm it was issued in a Group Work (PPD) Occupational and Health session. The Coroner said "I do not see how this will help the inquest". I thought Corry's job was to find out the facts of the case, and not to shove it under the carpet?

 

5. The narrative also indicated the deceased was capable, but failed because he was a repeat non-attender with no mitigating circumstances like sicknotes

 

The personal work he completed over the 6 years shows almost 100% attendance (75% minimum required), and there are sicknotes in the official student file to confirm illness. Under oath, no register was ever taken in the latter placements. In fact, one consultant simply forgot about personally arranged teaching sessions, and another was on holiday at the time. Paperwork to confirm.

 

6. An internal investigation results in complete exoneration

 

Did you know the investigator is staffed by the institution? Not exactly independant! No other students, or family was questioned. It's a complete joke.

 

7. The staff confirmed no second formal warning was issued contrary to the 'Unsatisfactory Students procedure'.

 

The coroner took no notice of this.

 

8. After being forced to disclose material at the inquest despite repeated objections by the coroner, the progress committee minutes actually state he failed 4 placements out of 5, instead of 2.

 

This is being cited as a 'typo' at a crucial meeting. The family did not originally receive this document in his student file even after a Freedom of Information request. 

 

And yes, as expected, the edited version has now arrived.

 

 

Draw your own conclusions.

 

9. There was confirmation that a Biomedical and life sciences degree is automatically achieved after 3 years study, the institution claims the deceased will have known about it, so will have softened the blow instead of having to leave the course empty handed.

 

This has never been mentioned in any meeting minutes to date with the deceased in 6 years study, so why now upon his death? The deceased had a right to know this at the final meeting, and should have been given it in paper form. He may be alive today if he knew this.

 

10. Most consultants couldn't even be bothered to spell the deceased's name correctly in communications

 

Very professional! What else could they not be bothered to do? The student file and fullness of time will reveal all of course.

 

11. Inquest with a jury denied to the family

 

Request to have the inquest moved from Leeds to Manchester to prevent bias also denied to the family. The coroner wanted to wrap up before lunch with 3 witnesses yet to testify. Ask yourself why?

 

12. Surely, his parents must have been too pushy?

 

Though most things in life demand a simple explanation, his parents actually weren't pushy in the least bit, otherwise they could simply accept it, and move on. The coroner agreed. Medicine was his own choice and his own choice alone. He could have done plumbing or structural engineering if he wanted to. After all, they pay far more than medicine. As for prestige, join the police for that, not medicine. Here is an interesting BMJ article about stereotypes in relation to ethnic minorities in medicine.

 

13. The complaint's procedure at work?

 

 

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"With the right support, he would have been just fine. Not all

students are wrong unless what people are taught to believe is that trained professionals can never get it wrong"
 

 

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