mercuryrapids
02-12-2008, 04:01 PM
Menezes verdict choice limited (link) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7760684.stm)
The jury at the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes will not be able to consider a verdict of unlawful killing, the coroner has said.
Sir Michael Wright said that having heard all the evidence, a verdict of unlawful killing was "not justified".
Lawyers for the de Menezes family are now going to the High Court to apply for a judicial review of the decision.
Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead by police after he was mistaken for one of the failed 21 July 2005 bombers.
Sir Michael's ruling came as he began his summing up of the case on Tuesday and leaves the jury to choose between an open, narrative or lawful killing verdict.
"In directing you that you cannot return a verdict of unlawful killing, I am not saying that nothing went wrong in a police operation which resulted in the killing of an innocent man," he told the hearing.
But in narrowing down the choice of verdict, he 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."
Sir Michael also warned jurors that they must not attach any criminal or civil fault to any individuals.
What a surprise. :rolleyes: An inncent man gets blown away in public, the police lie about what happened and 'it's nobody's fault'... Aaaargh! :mad:
The jury at the inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes will not be able to consider a verdict of unlawful killing, the coroner has said.
Sir Michael Wright said that having heard all the evidence, a verdict of unlawful killing was "not justified".
Lawyers for the de Menezes family are now going to the High Court to apply for a judicial review of the decision.
Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead by police after he was mistaken for one of the failed 21 July 2005 bombers.
Sir Michael's ruling came as he began his summing up of the case on Tuesday and leaves the jury to choose between an open, narrative or lawful killing verdict.
"In directing you that you cannot return a verdict of unlawful killing, I am not saying that nothing went wrong in a police operation which resulted in the killing of an innocent man," he told the hearing.
But in narrowing down the choice of verdict, he 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."
Sir Michael also warned jurors that they must not attach any criminal or civil fault to any individuals.
What a surprise. :rolleyes: An inncent man gets blown away in public, the police lie about what happened and 'it's nobody's fault'... Aaaargh! :mad: