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Tube police 'misled' pathologist Tube police 'misled' pathologist
(about 1 hour later)
Police misled a pathologist into thinking Jean Charles de Menezes "vaulted" over a Tube barrier before being shot dead, an inquest has heard.Police misled a pathologist into thinking Jean Charles de Menezes "vaulted" over a Tube barrier before being shot dead, an inquest has heard.
Dr Kenneth Shorrocks was told the Brazilian jumped over a barrier before "stumbling" down an escalator. Dr Kenneth Shorrock was told the Brazilian jumped over a barrier before "stumbling" down an escalator.
The pathologist said he was given the false information during a "walk-through" with officers.The pathologist said he was given the false information during a "walk-through" with officers.
Mr de Menezes was killed in 2005 in south London by police who mistook him for a failed 21 July suicide bomber.Mr de Menezes was killed in 2005 in south London by police who mistook him for a failed 21 July suicide bomber.
The Brazilian was shot seven times in the head at close range on 22 July 2005 after being mistaken for failed bomber Hussain Osman at Stockwell Tube Station.The Brazilian was shot seven times in the head at close range on 22 July 2005 after being mistaken for failed bomber Hussain Osman at Stockwell Tube Station.
'Long day' 'No notes'
Dr Shorrocks carried out post-mortem examinations on Mr de Menezes and in the hours after the shooting he said he was given a "walk-through" with officers at the scene. Dr Shorrock carried out post-mortem examinations on Mr de Menezes and in the hours after the shooting he said he was given a "walk-through" with officers at the scene.
When asked why there were "significant errors" in his initial report, he said: "This was what was told to me.When asked why there were "significant errors" in his initial report, he said: "This was what was told to me.
"What happened at that time was that there were a lot of officers present and we were taken through."What happened at that time was that there were a lot of officers present and we were taken through.
Not only would death have been instantaneous, but clearly once the first bullet hit his head and went in he would have had no perception of what was going on Dr Kenneth Shorrock
"I did not write anything down. I did not make any note of who told me what - but, at the next opportunity that I had, I got my Dictaphone.""I did not write anything down. I did not make any note of who told me what - but, at the next opportunity that I had, I got my Dictaphone."
He told a jury at the Oval cricket ground, south London, that "it was a long day" but rejected suggestions he was influenced by media reports, insisting he had made the notes before he had seen any news items. Dr Shorrock said he was not sure who told him Mr de Menezes had "vaulted" the barrier in the moments before his death.
'Fanatics' He also said he "cannot recall" if other interested parties were at the station during the walk-through.
The pathologist was speaking before retired deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick was due to take to the witness box. "The senior investigation officer had input and I spoke to him, but I spoke to a number of people."
Mr Paddick, who unsuccessfully ran for election as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor in May, questioned Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's account of when he learned his officers had killed an innocent man. He told the jury at the Oval cricket ground, south London, that "it was a long day" but rejected suggestions he was influenced by media reports, insisting he had made the notes before he had seen any news items.
On Monday a jury heard how the train driver fled into a tunnel as police shot dead the innocent Brazilian because he believed firearms officers were terrorist "fanatics". In evidence earlier in the day, Dr Shorrock said Mr de Menezes would not have survived any of four bullet wounds to his brain.
Quincy Akpesiri Oji jumped off a platform at Stockwell station and ran across "live" tracks after seeing officers open fire. "Pathologists never say never, nor will any doctors, but you can survive a gunshot wound to the head if it goes into a part of the brain which is not desperately important," he said.
The jury was also told that a single shot would have been sufficient to incapacitate Mr de Menezes. "But in this case they went in around the region above and behind the ear and they went through the centre of the brain."
'Firing decision'
"Not only would death have been instantaneous, but clearly once the first bullet hit his head and went in he would have had no perception of what was going on."
Mr De Menezes also suffered a gunshot wound to his back.
Ex-deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick also took to the witness box.
Mr Paddick, appearing for the first time, said the operation's leader, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, should only have been concerned with ordering a critical shot at Mr de Menezes.
The inquest has heard how Ms Dick made a series of orders as surveillance officers followed the innocent Brazilian through south London.
'Critical shot'
Mr Paddick said: "My understanding of the role of the DSO (designated senior officer) is to make decisions around when officers are confronted by a suicide bomber who is suspected of being about to detonate a device.
He said, under Scotland Yard policy, officers should warn suspects before opening fire if they were not convinced that they were a terrorist.
He added: "If there is nothing that they see that undermines what the DSO has told them then they are authorised to take a critical shot without warning.
"If, having been authorised to take the critical shot, the firearms officers have some doubt, there's an extra bit of information that clearly the DSO has not had, who's not there on the scene, then the firearms officers should give a warning and then respond to the suspect on the basis of how the suspect responds to that warning."
The inquest continues.The inquest continues.