BREAKING: Discover How A Slacker Makes $100,000 A Year!

WEBMASTERS! Get Your Website To The Top Of Google

Armed police untouchable

Saturday, December 13th, 2008

WHEN Peter Collins expressed his disgust in the Echo at the presence of armed police upon the streets of Cardiff, I suspect his views mirrored those of many readers following the inquest verdict upon the tragic killing of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was gunned down in London by the Metropolitan Police.

This unarmed and innocent man was making his way to work when officers fired no less than seven bullets into his head.

Naively, when it was announced that a jury inquest would take place to determine the reasons for his death, I thought that justice would prevail and mete out retribution to those who were responsible.

But this was not the case.

Instead, the coroner did not allow the jury freedom to record a verdict.

He directed that they could only return an open one or, quite amazingly, one of lawful killing.

When they returned the latter, it let the police so far off the hook that I would now fear being in the vicinity of an armed constable far more than being close to a tooled-up hoodlum.

On the basis of the de Menezes verdict, policemen would appear to be inviolate.

Further, why bother to appoint a jury in such cases if the coroner does not allow them freedom of choice when reaching a verdict?

This case demonstrates that the law is still the proverbial ass.

Bill Julian Llanishen, Cardiff

Have Your Say: Armed police untouchable
Please read our posting guidelines before posting.
Alternatively you can discuss this report in our forum .

Michael Moore on the auto industry bailout

Saturday, December 13th, 2008

Have Your Say: Michael Moore on the auto industry bailout
Please read our posting guidelines before posting.
Alternatively you can discuss this report in our forum .

Gov’t pulls witness in Gitmo case against Canadian

Saturday, December 13th, 2008

Have Your Say: Gov’t pulls witness in Gitmo case against Canadian
Please read our posting guidelines before posting.
Alternatively you can discuss this report in our forum .

Related News

• Menezes killers won’t be prosecuted
• Extraordinary scenes end Jean Charles de Menezes inquest
• De Menezes shooting trial jury out
• De Menezes coroner slams police conduct
• Diana inquest coroner to sum up

This entry was posted on Saturday, December 13th, 2008 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Latest News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.