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02/12/2008
Coroner Rules Out 'Unlawful Killing' In De Menezes Inquest
The jury at the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes have been told they will not be able to consider a verdict of 'unlawful killing'.
Sir Michael Wright, the coroner at the inquest into death of the 27-year-old Brazilian, who was shot dead by police at Stockwell station on 22 July 2005, began summarising seven weeks of evidence by telling the jurors they could only return an open narrative or lawful killing verdict.
He ruled, today at the Oval cricket ground, after hearing all the evidence, a verdict of unlawful killing was "not justified".
"I'm not saying that nothing went wrong in a police operation which resulted in the killing of an innocent man," he told the hearing.
In the narrowing down of the choice of verdict, Sir Michael added: "All interested persons agree that a verdict of unlawful killing could only be left to you if you could be sure that a specific officer had committed a very serious crime - murder or manslaughter."
Mr de Menezes was fatally shot by police in 2005 after he was mistakenly identified as a suicide bomber.
The Brazilian electrician was fired-upon while boarding an underground train in the capital. He took several deadly shots to the head.
Police had wrongly identified the 27-year-old man as one of four suspected bombers, who had allegedly planned an attack on the city's transport system earlier that day.
Since the inquest began in September, the 11-member jury have heard from some 100 witnesses. Among them were the two firearms officers who shot the 27-year-old, known only as C2 and C12.
Last year, the watchdog said individuals could not be held personally responsible for the mistakes that led to the shooting.
Prior to this decision the Met was fined £175,000 for breaches to health and safety rules.
In 2006 the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual over De Menezes's death.
(JM)
Sir Michael Wright, the coroner at the inquest into death of the 27-year-old Brazilian, who was shot dead by police at Stockwell station on 22 July 2005, began summarising seven weeks of evidence by telling the jurors they could only return an open narrative or lawful killing verdict.
He ruled, today at the Oval cricket ground, after hearing all the evidence, a verdict of unlawful killing was "not justified".
"I'm not saying that nothing went wrong in a police operation which resulted in the killing of an innocent man," he told the hearing.
In the narrowing down of the choice of verdict, Sir Michael added: "All interested persons agree that a verdict of unlawful killing could only be left to you if you could be sure that a specific officer had committed a very serious crime - murder or manslaughter."
Mr de Menezes was fatally shot by police in 2005 after he was mistakenly identified as a suicide bomber.
The Brazilian electrician was fired-upon while boarding an underground train in the capital. He took several deadly shots to the head.
Police had wrongly identified the 27-year-old man as one of four suspected bombers, who had allegedly planned an attack on the city's transport system earlier that day.
Since the inquest began in September, the 11-member jury have heard from some 100 witnesses. Among them were the two firearms officers who shot the 27-year-old, known only as C2 and C12.
Last year, the watchdog said individuals could not be held personally responsible for the mistakes that led to the shooting.
Prior to this decision the Met was fined £175,000 for breaches to health and safety rules.
In 2006 the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual over De Menezes's death.
(JM)
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Pressure is mounting on Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair to resign over the shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes. The force broke health and safety laws when officers pursued Mr Menezes to a Tube station and shot him seven times, mistaking him for a terror suspect.
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