Brazil angry at Menezes verdict
Mr de Menezes was shot dead as he was running for a train
Also In The News
|
England captain Michael Vaughan admitted his side deserved to drop to fifth in the world Test rankings after the series loss to Sri Lanka. |  |
Sunday, 23, Dec 2007 06:34
Brazil's government has revealed its "unhappiness" that none of the officers involved in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes were punished.
The 27-year-old electrician was shot seven times in the head at Stockwell Tube station in 2005, after being mistaken for a terrorist.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had cleared 11 of the 15 officers involved. On Friday the IPCC ruled the other four senior officers, including commanding officer Cressida Dick, should not face internal disciplinary action over the shooting.
In a statement, the Brazilian government said: "The foreign ministry expresses its unhappiness with the decision of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which absolves four senior officers involved in the death of the Brazilian citizen Jean Charles de Menezes."
Mr de Menezes' cousin, Vivian Figuierdo, said the IPCC should have delayed its decision until after the inquest.
"It is entirely premature for the IPCC to do this before an inquest where vital evidence about the actions of these officers could come to light," Mr Figuierdo said.
"Sadly we have come to expect this from the IPCC - they have done nothing to hold the police to account for the killing of an innocent man."
In November, the Metropolitan police force was found guilty of breaching health and safety laws over the shooting, but Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair held on to his job.
The Old Bailey jury added that Ms Dick bore "no personal culpability" for what went wrong.
Mr de Menezes, a Brazilian citizen, was shot dead by officers two weeks after the July 7th bombings in London which killed 52 people.