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Jean Charles de Menezes inquest: Should the jury have walked out in protest?

By John Hirst

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.

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on December 04, 2008 (boomark / email).