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Livingstone praises Menezes chief Livingstone praises Menezes chief
(about 5 hours later)
Ken Livingstone has said the police officer in charge when Jean Charles de Menezes was shot has the "potential" to be a future Met Police Commissioner.Ken Livingstone has said the police officer in charge when Jean Charles de Menezes was shot has the "potential" to be a future Met Police Commissioner.
A jury returned an open verdict at the inquest into the death of Mr de Menezes, whom police mistook for a suicide bomber. A jury returned an open verdict at the inquest into the electrician's death.
The former Mayor of London said police deserved criticism for the errors they made which led to the shooting. The former Mayor of London said Cressida Dick as the "most talented" officer he had worked with.
But he praised Cressida Dick as the "most talented" officer he worked with. But Gareth Pierce, a lawyer for the de Menezes family, said 25 "serious and catastrophic" failures by Ms Dick alone had been identified.
Brazilian Mr de Menezes was shot dead on 22 July 2005 at Stockwell Tube station when he was mistaken for a suicide bomber.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Livingstone said the police officers made mistakes because of the "unbelievable" pressure they were under.In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Livingstone said the police officers made mistakes because of the "unbelievable" pressure they were under.
Ms Dick, who was in command of the operation and subsequently promoted, has "commissioner potential" he says. Ms Dick, who was in command of the operation and subsequently promoted, had "commissioner potential" he said.
'Tragic mistake' There were four men on the loose who tried to do suicide bombing. We knew we had a few days at most to catch them before they did it again and got it right Ken Livingstone
The jury rejected the police account he was killed lawfully by two officers who shot him seven times at Stockwell Tube in south London. "Cressida Dick is one of the most talented officers I have ever worked with," he said, adding that she had an "incredible record".
His mother, Maria Otone de Menezes, said she was very happy and felt "reborn" after hearing the verdict. "The truth is we don't really know much more today than 48 hours after the event - a tragic series of errors. Nobody thought there was a malignant mastermind behind it all," he said.
The Metropolitan Police said the Brazilian's death was a tragic mistake. Although he accepted the police deserved criticism, he argued officers were not always in a position to interrogate a suspect they believed to be a potential terrorist.
After the verdict was announced the Menezes family lawyer said officers should be investigated for perjury - a call immediately rejected by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. "I was close to that operation. The pressures people were operating under were unbelievable.
The inquest jury was given the choice of two possible verdicts, but chose to reject the option that Mr Menezes was killed lawfully by the police. "There were four men on the loose who tried to do suicide bombing. We knew we had a few days at most to catch them before they did it again and got it right. And under those pressures mistakes will happen."
THE JURY'S KEY ANSWERS Did officers shout 'armed police'? NO Did Mr de Menezes move towards officers? NODid difficulty in identifying the man under surveillance lead to his death? NODid the behaviour of Mr de Menezes increasing suspicion among officers lead to his death? NO class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7761652.stm">Jury's verdict explained Mr de Menezes - who was shot seven times by two officers at Stockwell - was, in fact, the 53rd victim of the London bombings of 7 July, he added.
Earlier in the inquest the jury was instructed not to return a verdict of unlawful killing. 'Disastrous handling'
The 10 jury members were asked 12 specific questions about whether or not a series of events on 22 July 2005 contributed to the 27-year-old's death. But Gareth Pierce, one of the lawyers representing the family of Mr de Menezes, said too much attention had been put on the armed officers who shot Mr de Menezes.
Following the verdict, the Acting Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said Mr de Menezes' death had been a "most terrible mistake", which he "deeply regretted". Jean Charles was tracked and eventually killed on the basis of a litany of assessments that ranged from 'Not him', 'Possibly him', 'Probably him' to the end - which propelled the armed officers - to 'That's him' Gareth PierceDe Menezes family lawyer
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the death was "a profoundly shocking tragedy". A better focus, she said, would be on those in command.
"What we have learnt from the accounts of the tragic events that day reminds us all of the extremely demanding circumstances under which the police work to protect us from further terrorist attack," she added. "The handling of the events that led up to the fatal shooting was disastrous. It was disastrous on the part of the senior officers who had a public duty and were paid to exercise that duty of care."
The inquest had also revealed police officers had been trained to operate in what was "effectively a war situation", she said.
But, she continued, they did not know the basic terminology to use and appeared unable to set up an effective central command system with which to properly manage information.
"Jean Charles was tracked and eventually killed on the basis of a litany of assessments that ranged from 'Not him', 'Possibly him', 'Probably him' to the end - which propelled the armed officers - to 'That's him'."
The "extraordinary restrictions" placed on the jury - which was instructed not to return a verdict of unlawful killing - meant the police would not be properly "held to account" over the death and lessons would not be learned for the future, she added.
Coroner direction
During the inquest, the 10 jury members were asked 12 specific questions about whether or not a series of events on 22 July 2005 contributed to Mr de Menezes' death.
Coroner Sir Michael Wright, who presided over the three-month inquest held at the Oval cricket ground in London, had previously said the facts did not justify allowing the jury to consider an unlawful killing.Coroner Sir Michael Wright, who presided over the three-month inquest held at the Oval cricket ground in London, had previously said the facts did not justify allowing the jury to consider an unlawful killing.
Throughout the inquest, Metropolitan Police officers told the hearings they honestly believed the Brazilian was one of the four failed bombers who attempted to strike London on 21 July 2005. Having been instructed not to return such a verdict, the jury went on to reject the police account he had been killed lawfully and returned an open verdict.
But Mr de Menezes' family and supporters challenged this version of events. After the verdict was announced, the Menezes family lawyer said officers should be investigated for perjury - a call immediately rejected by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
They said they wanted answers to why surveillance officers could not identify the man they were following - and why two specialist officers shot the electrician at close range. Throughout the inquest, Metropolitan Police officers told the hearings they believed the Brazilian was one of the four failed bombers who attempted to strike London on 21 July 2005.
The Menezes family called on the CPS to re-examine the case to see whether a criminal prosecution could be brought.
They also want the IPCC to review their inquiry into the death in respect of disciplinary action against police officers and are calling on the home secretary to suspend the "shoot-to-kill" policy.
They plan to apply for judicial review of the coroner's decision not to offer the jury the option of returning a verdict of unlawful killing.
The coroner will write to the acting commissioner, the home secretary and the Metropolitan Police Authority to raise issues over police practices.