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Saturday, July 15, 2006

No cops to face charges over Menezes


No cops will face charges over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. Instead the CPS is expected to announce on Monday that the Metropolitan police as an organisation will face charges of breaching health and safety at work. If found guilty of breaches the Met could be fined an unlimited sum. Harriet Wistrich, Menezes family lawyer said, "They would like to see officers held to account on a personal level, for somebody to be charged with a homicide offence".

Even if the police force are found guilty of a criminal offence all they get is an unlimited fine. And what's the prediction they could get the fine reduced? No justice for the Menezes family, that's for sure.

The only cops I have heard of being prosecuted are Melvin and Dingle, who stitched up Winston Silcott, Engin Raghip and Mark Braithwaite (The Tottenham 3) for the killing of PC Blakelock. They were charged with fabricating evidence in 1994 but surprise, surprise, they were aquitted.
From miscarriages of justice, deaths in custody to shooting down innocent people, the cops just carry on getting away with it. No accountability or justice for the people involved.

I ask the question, quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Translation: Who guards the guards...??

Update: 17/7/06

No cops will be prosecuted but there will be charges under health and safety. A spokesperson from the Police Federation said: "whilst the just, fair and difficult decision reached by the CPS today is welcomed by the police service. We must never forget the hurt and devastation caused to the de Menezes family by this tragic and fatal shooting of Jean Charles last year".

Yes, but who indeed caused the devastation and hurt for the de Menezes family? Who pumped 7 bullets into the man's head?

Pathetic, cowardly and meaningless words by the cops who are pleased that the shoot to kill policy (Operation Kratos) won't end up in the public domain. The de Menezes family are considering suing the Met and have Michael Mansfield on side.