WHITEWASH ON MENEZES MURDER – BRITISH JUSTICE?
Jury forced to give meaningless ‘open’ verdict or ‘lawful (!) killing’When a wholly innocent man is shot dead by armed police in a panic without warning and with numerous gun shots the only logical verdict is murder or at the least ‘unlawful killing’. By removing this option the process has became a complete mockery. JOEBrutish injusticeThe 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”.Mr de Menezes, 27, was shot dead by police at Stockwell Tube station in south London after he was mistaken for one of the failed 21 July 2005 bombers. The jury may now return either an open or lawful killing verdict. Sir Michael’s ruling came as he began his summing up of the case on Tuesday. “In directing you that you cannot return a verdict of unlawful killing, I am not saying that nothing went wro