Jean Charles de Menezes inquest: Should the jury have walked out in protest?
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes have staged a dramatic courtroom protest - minutes before jurors at the inquest into his death were sent out to consider their verdicts.
Sir Michael Wright was wrong to prevent the inquest jury from considering whether Jean Charles de Menezes was unlawfully killed. Given that the facts are that "Mr de Menezes was shot seven times in the head after being mistaken for a suicide bomber in 2005", there is a valid argument that he was unlawfully killed by the police. Even allowing for a genuine mistake, it is still an unlawful killing. What is the purpose of holding an inquest just to leave the question of how he died open? And, if the jury are left with the lawful killing verdict and they return this is it going to be fair game for the police to shoot another innocent Brazilian electrician or any other innocent person?
The family were right to walk out in protest. And, the jury should have followed them in protest. Sir Michael Wright is a dishonest and corrupt judge and should be totally ashamed of himself.
i hope there is a narrative verdict, that highlights every bad decision, incompetence and deceit on the part of the police. In some sense de menenes paid the price for our social panic over terrorism. We need to remember that no terrorist group has ever achieved its strategic aims in a liberal democracy and our over reaction can only lead to more innocent death and loss of liberty.
ReplyDelete'In some sense de menenes paid the price for our social panic over terrorism.'
ReplyDeleteOur social panic?
I didn't panic over terrorism.
Many people did fall for the government line - a line which has deliberately used fear of 'something' in order to shoehorn new laws to be used against the populace.
Bearing in mind the 'bomber' he was mistook for wasn't even a bomber, JCdM paid a hell of a price for our slumber.
The reason why people of all parties are waking up to the attack on parliament last week is because we know it is part of the same game.
Since attaining voting age I have always been virulently anti Tory but that doesn't mean I can say 'My Party Right or Wrong' to a police state.
Still puzzles me - why did they gun for him like that. Why not someone else? What has never come out?
ReplyDeleteJames Higham-That's what always disturbed me.
ReplyDeleteMerkin,
ReplyDeleteNot so - CCTV footage shown on the news at the time the (reported) 'illegal immigrant' was shot showed him walking away from armed police.
Terrifying 'paramilitary' style raids on innocent british citizens have commenced since Sir Ian Blair was 'sacked'; latest victims two OAPs.
Is de Menezes family claiming financial compensation ? How much has the overtly protracted investigation cost taxpayers to date ?
James Higham,
ReplyDeleteDo you think the July bombings in London were in any way connected to Bliar's (reportedly illegal) invasion of Iraq ?
How many innocent people have been killed in the Iraq war as par for the course ?
2345, don't understand your point.
ReplyDeletePlease read my post again and tell me exactly what you mean.