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Hillsborough inquest: Jury can return majority decision on whether fans were unlawfully killed | Hillsborough inquest: Jury can return majority decision on whether fans were unlawfully killed |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The jury's conclusions on the fresh Hillsborough inquests into the 96 deaths at Britain's worst sporting disaster will be delivered on Tuesday. | |
On Monday, Sir John Goldring explained to the jury of six women and three men that he could accept a decision of 7-2 or 8-1 on the one remaining question they had not agreed on - the question as to whether the Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed. | |
The juror continued their deliberations before they returned and indicated that at least seven of them had reached a majority decision in respect of that question. | |
Addressing the jury, Sir John said: "It is so that those families who could not be here all the time can come. | |
"So it will be tomorrow that I will ask you formally to return your findings in relation to the general and individual questionnaires." | |
The jury has been told to answer a general questionnaire of 14 questions as well as record the time and cause of death for each of the Liverpool fans who died in the disaster on April 15 1989. | The jury has been told to answer a general questionnaire of 14 questions as well as record the time and cause of death for each of the Liverpool fans who died in the disaster on April 15 1989. |
These include questions about the police planning before the game, stadium safety, events on the day, the emergency services' response to the disaster and whether the fans were unlawfully killed. | |
Last Wednesday the jury indicated to the court in Warrington that unanimous decisions had already been made on every question apart from question six. | |
Question six asks: "Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?" | Question six asks: "Are you satisfied, so that you are sure, that those who died in the disaster were unlawfully killed?" |
Before they were sent out on April 6 to start their deliberations, jurors were told they could only answer "yes" if they were sure that match commander Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield owed a duty of care to those who died in the disaster, and that he was in breach of that duty of care. | |
Thirdly, they would need to be satisfied that his breach of duty caused the deaths and, fourthly, that it amounted to "gross negligence". | |
The hearings have been ongoing for more than two years, with the jury having heard evidence from more than 800 witnesses. | |
PA | PA |