Jury Retraces Menezes' Final Steps

Jurors have today retraced the final steps of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes who was shot dead by British police marksmen in 2005.

The electrician was fatally shot three years ago, after he was mistakenly identified as a suicide bomber.

In the second day of the inquest into the death of the 27-year-old, the jury of six women and five men travelled less then a mile from the Oval cricket ground Inquest room, to Stockwell Tube Station where Mr de Menezes was shot by two firearms officers.

Mr de Menezes was boarding a Northern line train waiting at platform two, when the officers opened fire, mistaking him for missing failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman.

Coroner Sir Michael Wright led the jurors onto the coach and was able to speak to them of the importance of each location throughout the journey.

During the tour, the members of the jury visited the flats where he lived in Tulse Hill, south London.

A court official also highlighted three areas of interest in Stockwell station: the ticket hall, the area at the bottom of the escalator and the platform itself.

The station was closed for roughly 10 minutes for the visit, and the party entered through the side doors to avoid crowds of both the public and media who had gathered at the main entrance.

The jury also visited New Scotland Yard as well as police stations in Leman Street, east London and Nightingale Lane, south west London.

During the first day of the 12-week long trial, the jury were told firearms officers made a split-decision to kill Mr de Menezes.

Sir Michael said the officers were "convinced" the 27-year-old electrician was about to detonate a device on the Tube, and he could only have been stopped by an "instant killing".

The two police marksman - known only as Charlie Two and Charlie 12 - are to give evidence in public for the first time, during the course of the inquest.

Seventy-five witnesses, including Tube passengers, and 48 police officers who have been granted anonymity, will appear at the inquest.

See: De Menezes Inquest Opens

(JM)