Newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson was unlawfully killed by a police officer during the April 2009 c protests in London, a coroner’s inquest found today.
A jury at the inquest into Tomlinson’s death said today that a policeman used “excessive and unreasonable force” when he hit Tomlinson and shoved him to the ground, a court official said.
Tomlinson died shortly after he was videotaped being pushed to the ground by police constable Simon Harwood, who was controlling crowds at protests near the Bank of England. Tomlinson hadn’t been involved in the demonstrations and was heading home when he found his way blocked by police.
Coroner’s inquests can come to a limited number of verdicts: death by accident, suicide, unlawful killing, lawful killing or industrial disease. If there is insufficient evidence for any of those, they record an “open verdict.” They can either be heard with a jury or a coroner sitting alone.
Rose Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service, said in a statement that it was “a matter of deep regret that the actions of an MPS officer have been found to have caused the death of a member of the public.”
Harwood said in a statement issued by his lawyers that he was sorry about Tomlinson’s death.
“In particular, he wishes that he had known then all that he now knows about Mr. Tomlinson’s movements and fragile state of health,” the e-mailed statement issued on his behalf by Reynolds Dawson Solicitors said. “PC Harwood did not intend, or foresee at the time, that his push would cause Mr. Tomlinson to fall over, let alone that it would result in any injury.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said in an e-mailed statement that it would review whether to prosecute anyone over the death. Last year, the department had decided against bringing a case.
“The review will be conducted as quickly as is compatible with the care and rigor required in a thorough exercise,” the CPS said.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com
A jury at the inquest into Tomlinson’s death said today that a policeman used “excessive and unreasonable force” when he hit Tomlinson and shoved him to the ground, a court official said.
Tomlinson died shortly after he was videotaped being pushed to the ground by police constable Simon Harwood, who was controlling crowds at protests near the Bank of England. Tomlinson hadn’t been involved in the demonstrations and was heading home when he found his way blocked by police.
Coroner’s inquests can come to a limited number of verdicts: death by accident, suicide, unlawful killing, lawful killing or industrial disease. If there is insufficient evidence for any of those, they record an “open verdict.” They can either be heard with a jury or a coroner sitting alone.
Rose Fitzpatrick, deputy assistant commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service, said in a statement that it was “a matter of deep regret that the actions of an MPS officer have been found to have caused the death of a member of the public.”
Harwood said in a statement issued by his lawyers that he was sorry about Tomlinson’s death.
“In particular, he wishes that he had known then all that he now knows about Mr. Tomlinson’s movements and fragile state of health,” the e-mailed statement issued on his behalf by Reynolds Dawson Solicitors said. “PC Harwood did not intend, or foresee at the time, that his push would cause Mr. Tomlinson to fall over, let alone that it would result in any injury.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said in an e-mailed statement that it would review whether to prosecute anyone over the death. Last year, the department had decided against bringing a case.
“The review will be conducted as quickly as is compatible with the care and rigor required in a thorough exercise,” the CPS said.
Source: http://www.bloomberg.com
No comments:
Post a Comment