When Lee Lawrence’s son, Brandon, picked him up from the hospital after a minor operation recently, Brandon thought he noticed a car following them. Lawrence glanced back and reassured his son that it was probably nothing to worry about. But then the car—which turned out to be an unmarked police vehicle—switched on its siren, overtook them, and came to an abrupt stop. “I expected to see guns drawn next,” Lawrence recalls. “I thought, ‘What on earth is going on?’ I got upset. My son tried to calm me down because I kept thinking, ‘How could this be happening to my son?'”
Lawrence was just 11 years old when his mother, Cherry Groce, was shot and paralyzed by an armed police officer during a botched raid on her home in 1985. The community’s outrage over the shooting sparked a two-day uprising in Brixton, south London.
According to Lawrence, the officers claimed they had a reason to stop the car, but it proved to be unfounded, and they eventually drove off. Lawrence was deeply distressed. “Brandon said to me, ‘Dad, I know you’re upset, I know it’s disheartening for you, but this is the reality for us.’ And it really hit me. Part of me felt, what’s the point? I started questioning what I’m doing.”
In 2016, Lawrence established the Cherry Groce Foundation. Part of his work involves running training programs for new police recruits and senior leaders, addressing racial bias, advocating for greater diversity, and promoting the power of restorative justice. He sees his son’s encounter with the police as a reminder that “we have to do more. Don’t get complacent. There’s still a lot of work to do, and you’re an integral part of that.”
We meet at the foundation’s office in Brixton, just a short walk from the beautiful memorial to his mother, designed by architect Sir David Adjaye. In 2020, Lawrence published his memoir, The Louder I Will Sing, which explores the impact of his mother’s paralysis on her and her family, as well as their ongoing fight for justice after her death in 2011. An inquest in 2014 concluded that multiple and serious police failures contributed to Groce’s death. Lawrence’s book went on to win the Costa Prize, and he is now preparing to release his second book, The Colour of Injustice, a history of the over-policing and under-protection of Britain’s Black community. His mother’s story is a part of it. “Whenever I give a talk or work with the Metropolitan Police, it’s important for me to emphasize that my family’s experience is not an isolated incident. There are many other cases, some of which haven’t received the attention they deserve. It’s quite powerful when you see them all together.”
And it is. Lawrence traces cases of racial prejudice, particularly within the criminal justice system, back to the 1700s. He writes about Charles Wotten, a Black sailor who was chased by a mob through Liverpool and drowned in 1919 as police looked on. He also covers Mahmood Mattan, who was wrongfully convicted of murder and hanged in 1952. In 2016, Dalian Atkinson, experiencing a mental health crisis and in desperate need of care, was Tasered and kicked in the head by police. The multitude of such stories, from history to the present day, reveals a persistent pattern of racism. But it’s the current statistics that are particularly stark: Black people are seven times more likely to die after being restrained by police than white people and five times more likely to experience force during arrest. In some regions, Black people are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched, and Lawrence points out that Black defendants are nearly 16 times more likely to face prosecution.Under “joint enterprise” laws, or being found guilty by association, Lawrence hopes that readers will move beyond debating the issue and instead focus on what can be done about it. He recalls that his childhood ended the day his mother was shot. On September 28, 1985, he was sharing a room with his parents and sister when they were awakened by the sound of their front door being kicked in. His mother, Groce, jumped out of bed, and Lawrence heard a gunshot before seeing her on the floor with a man pointing a gun at her. Lawrence screamed at the man to leave his mother alone, and the man turned the gun on him. More armed men and dogs appeared, and the family realized they were police officers.
As a child, Lawrence had dreamed of becoming a police officer, inspired by shows like Starsky & Hutch and The Professionals. He admired the idea of catching bad guys and protecting his community, believing the police stood for justice.
After the shooting, Groce spent two years in the hospital, while Lawrence and his sisters were placed in temporary care. Returning to school, he felt invisible as everyone acted as if nothing had happened. Later, when Groce moved into a bungalow with her younger children (Lawrence is one of six), he became her caregiver while still a teenager. Groce, who had been an energetic dancer before the shooting at age 37, was now in constant pain and unable to walk, which frustrated her despite her defiance.
Lawrence would make breakfast for his mother, take his sister to school, and then arrive late himself. Instead of support, he faced repeated detentions, which made him rebellious and view school as another oppressive authority. In his teens, he turned to dealing drugs, unaware of the trauma and anger he was carrying.
All his interactions with the police during his teenage years were negative, including being called a racial slur during an arrest and frequent stop-and-searches. It wasn’t until decades later, after his mother’s inquest in 2014, that Lawrence began to build a relationship with the police, attending a recruits’ graduation and experiencing a different side of law enforcement.
No one was ever held accountable for his mother’s shooting—no one went to prison or faced penalties. Lawrence became a father at 21, later having two more children, and worked as his mother’s official caregiver while also holding jobs in nightclubs and as a black cab driver. Through therapy, he connected his adult anger to his childhood trauma, preparing him mentally to fight for justice after his mother’s death.
In his book, he highlights the rarity of police accountability, questioning if it encourages misconduct. He believes that when officers aren’t penalized for wrongdoing, it reinforces a harmful culture within the Metropolitan Police.What kind of culture does it promote when someone is actually rewarded for acting without integrity? Being on the other side now, I’ve realized that the Met as an organization operates from a damage-control standpoint.
When their mother passed away, Lawrence’s family was initially refused legal aid to cover lawyers for the inquest. A petition that gathered 130,000 signatures helped reverse that decision. The inquest jury identified numerous police failures. Although the Met apologized, they did not accept liability—prompting Lawrence and his family to challenge this in the High Court in 2016, where they succeeded. “Justice didn’t come to us through the proper channels as it should have,” Lawrence explains. “So we turned to restorative justice, because no one was ever held accountable for my mother’s death. No one went to prison or faced any penalties.” The 1987 trial of Douglas Lovelock, the man who fired the shot, ended in a not-guilty verdict. “So we shifted our focus: What do we need to heal and move forward? How can we positively influence the organization? How do we ensure they’re held accountable and participate in reforming their culture?”
In addition to compensation, the Met agreed to some of the family’s requests, but almost ten years later, they still haven’t fulfilled all their promises. One of these was establishing an award in Groce’s name for officers who demonstrate exceptional community service. “We also wanted to create support for those traumatized by poor policing. There are many hurt people in our community who carry a negative view of the police, and that spreads. We aimed to develop a program to help them.”
Lawrence remains hopeful that change will happen. “They have to change, and they have—maybe not enough, but they have. My book touches on that, and I want us to draw strength from it.” His optimism lies less in systemic police reform and more in individuals. “That’s where I’m focusing my energy. I’m not saying it’s the whole solution, but it’s part of it.” He notes that at current recruitment rates, it will take another 30 years for the Met to reflect the community it serves. For Black officers, “advancing is very difficult. There is racism within the Met, including toward Black officers. I’ve seen that they need more support, both internally and from the community, and I’m exploring how to make that happen.”
The release of his book is especially relevant as the UK faces anti-immigrant rhetoric and far-right rallies. “It feels like we’re stuck in a cycle. Propaganda is used to turn us against each other. I hope we recover quickly before irreversible harm is done.” He warns that if we don’t pay attention, “history will repeat itself. To break the cycle, we need greater awareness of past events so we can recognize familiar patterns and act urgently for change.”
A recent experience with his son and the police has reinforced his mission. After a deeper conversation, Lawrence learned that his son always carries all his ID and documents while driving to avoid any risks.Lawrence recalls his mother saying that the police were a force you couldn’t beat, but he never accepted that. He feels the same when he sees how it affects his son. “I understood why she said that. For her, it was about survival—she had to focus on raising us children. That fight wasn’t for my mum; it was my battle to fight for her. She needed to fight to survive, and I’ve had to fight to ensure what happened to her was recognized and that we now use it to drive change.” The Colour of Injustice: Stories of the Fight Against Prejudice and the Law is published by Little, Brown (£22). To support the Guardian, purchase a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the topic My mother was shot by the police written in a natural human tone with direct and simple answers
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What is this situation about
This refers to the lifealtering event where a police officer shot someones mother causing profound trauma grief and a cascade of legal emotional and practical challenges for the entire family
2 Why would something like this happen
Incidents like this can occur for many complex reasons including mistaken identity a mental health crisis a reported crime where the situation escalated or in some cases the misuse of force The specific reason is often the central question an investigation tries to answer
3 What should a family do immediately after this happens
The first steps are about safety and preservation ensure your own and your familys safety seek emotional support from trusted people and if possible consult with a lawyer who specializes in civil rights or police misconduct before making any formal statements
4 How can I support someone going through this
The best support is often practical and emotional Listen without judgment help with daily tasks like meals or childcare and avoid offering simplistic explanations like everything happens for a reason Just being present is powerful
5 Is it normal to feel so many different emotions
Absolutely It is completely normal to feel overwhelming grief anger confusion fear and numbness sometimes all at once This is a traumatic event and there is no right way to feel
Advanced Practical Questions
6 What is the official process after a police shooting
Typically the involved police department will conduct an internal investigation There may also be an independent review by a district attorneys office or a special investigative unit This process is meant to determine if the officers actions were legally justified
7 What legal options does a family have
Families can often pursue a civil lawsuit for wrongful death or civil rights violations This is separate from any criminal charges that might be filed against the officer A lawsuit can seek financial compensation and for some a sense of accountability
8 How do you deal with the media and public attention
This can be very intrusive Its okay to set boundaries You can designate one family spokesperson decline interviews or issue a single written statement through your attorney to
