British Police Officers Won't Face Criminal Charges In Last Year's Metro Shooting
Richard Rittierodt - All Headline News Staff Writer London, England (AHN) - According to state prosecutors, British police officers will not face criminal charges in last year's shooting of a Brazilian man. Instead, the officers will be prosecuted under health and safety laws, more usually used to resolve minor incidents in the work place. On July 22, 2005, police officers killed 27 year old Jean Charles de Menezes who was living in London. Police officers, believing him to be a suicide bomber, shot him seven times in the head after he boarded a London underground train. 15 days earlier, 52 people were killed when four British Islamics blew themselves up on underground trains and a bus. The decision to have them prosecuted under health and safety laws is not being liked by either side. Patricia da Silva Armani, a cousin of the victim, said, "I'm very disappointed. I think this is shameful." London city mayor Ken Livingstone said, "I doubt that al Qaeda will be considering the implications for health and safety legislation when they are planning their terrorist activities." The circumstances of the shooting have been hotly disputed and the Brazilian has become a martyr figure for campaigners who accuse police of ignoring civil rights in their crackdown on terrorist suspects. London police chief Ian Blair has been heavily criticized over the shooting and remains under pressure to resign. |
