London Bombs: Police could face criminal charges.

The Times On-Line ^ | 12/09/05

[vimto]

London bombs

De Menezes police could face criminal charges By Sam Knight and PA News

The anti-terrorism officers who shot dead Jean Charles de Menezes on a Tube train at Stockwell Station in July could face criminal charges, the inquiry into the shooting said today.

Nick Hardwick, the chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating the killing of Mr de Menezes said it was "likely" that the commission's report would be handed to the Crown Prosecution Service, which would decide whether to prosecute the officers.

Mr de Menezes, a Brazilian electrician, was shot seven times in the head the morning after the failed bomb attacks of July 21, after police and military surveillance officers mistook him for a potential suicide bomber.

Mr Hardwick said today that the IPCC inquiry had to decide whether a criminal offence had taken place in the killing of Mr de Menezes. He added that the threshold for such a decision would be lower than that used by the CPS in its decision whether to prosecute.

Asked if he thought a copy of the IPCC report would be sent to the CPS when it is finished, Mr Hardwick said: "I think that is likely."

"I think it will meet that lower threshold. I do not give a complete guarantee of that," he said, referring to the likelihood that it would recommend criminal charges.

Mr Hardwick also revealed today that the IPCC has not interviewed Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, during its inquiry. He would not confirm whether a prepared statement had been taken from the Commissioner.

Last month, the IPCC announced that Sir Ian was the subject of a separate investigation scrutinising his conduct in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. The family of Mr de Menezes have accused Sir Ian of making "misleading statements" about the Brazilian's death.

The IPCC is due to present the conclusions of its investigation in January. Information leaked from the inquiry in August suggested that a series of "catastrophic errors" led to the misidentification and shooting of Mr de Menezes, who was 27.

[vimto]

This rolls on and on. Just thought you good Freepers should be kept in touch.

[rellimpank]

---I shudder to think what may become of the case of the perp shot by the air marshal earlier this week--we'll not hear the end of that for months--

[Boundless]

> Information leaked from the inquiry in August suggested
> that a series of "catastrophic errors" led to the
> misidentification and shooting of Mr de Menezes ...

Which suggests to me that someone back at the ranch is
really responsible for this tragedy, and the officers
on scene might be nearly co-victims.

[KC_Conspirator]

This is an outrage. England is going to die yet.

[vimto]

There is no doubt this was a mess up (radio's didn't work underground for one thing). But they were hard days and these guys had to make hard decisions. Mistakes will be made in wartime.

Kind regards.

[CondorFlight]

Great. Next time the police will hesitate to shoot, thinking they may be facing charges and have to serve time if they are wrong. And that's when the bombers will get through.
Never mind, though; the police will have acted with appropriate PC restraint. . .

[tkathy]

Maybe all police have to have lawyers going along on calls, and stop to consult with lawyers before drawing guns.

[vimto]

Please note that the it was eyewitnesses that said such things. Certainly the ploice on the ground is not.

No - one says 'shoot the bastard'.

It is a matter of protecting public servants who have a hard and dangerous job to do.

And my friend, we are not a totalitarian society - FReepers are committed to freedom. The fact that this investigation has taken place is a sign of how free our society is. Long may it remain so.

warm regards.

[Bones75]

"Great. Next time the police will hesitate to shoot, thinking they may be facing charges and have to serve time if they are wrong. And that's when the bombers will get through. "

I'm not saying the bombers should get through, However I would WANT the police to hesitate before they chase down and shoot a guy 7 times in the head who did absolutely nothing wrong.

We're going to have to find a way to stop terrorists without having to defend cops who execute innocent people and then lie about it. I don't think that's too much to ask.

[george wythe]

Passengers interviewed

Mr Hardwick said they had spoken to everyone they needed to for the inquiry into the shooting itself and were confident they knew what happened at Stockwell Tube station and why.

"We are confident we know, second by second, what happened on that train," he said.

Questioned about reports that some of the CCTV tapes from the Tube station platform may have been missing, Mr Hardwick said: "We are comfortable that we have all the tapes that exist. We have always said the tapes are significant."

Senior investigator John Cummins admitted there had been "problems" with the equipment, but did not elaborate further.

All 30 passengers in the train carriage at the time of the shooting had also been interviewed, Mr Hardwick added.

In total the investigation took 600 written statements.

Mr Menezes, 27, was shot seven times in the head by anti-terror officers after being mistaken for a suicide bomber the day after the failed 21 July bomb attacks

[Canard]

"The fact that this investigation has taken place is a sign of how free our society is."

Yes and people on this thread are criticising the potential conclusions of the enquiry before they have even been released.

[vimto]

people on this thread are criticising the potential conclusions of the enquiry before they have even been released.

I see your point - but remember the inquest has been this information out, that they may face criminal proceedings. - it should reasonably expect a reaction to that, though of course the details are not yet known.

I want to say loud and clear that the duty they were doing was hard and important and unless the evidence is overwhelming, prosecution would not be in the public interest. That's my view. It is a reasonable one to express.