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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Azelle Rodney's mother says son was 'executed' | Azelle Rodney's mother says son was 'executed' |
| (8 days later) | |
| The mother of a suspected criminal shot dead by police said that her son was "executed", as the officer who killed him told an inquiry that he opened fire fearing his life and those of his colleagues was in imminent danger. | The mother of a suspected criminal shot dead by police said that her son was "executed", as the officer who killed him told an inquiry that he opened fire fearing his life and those of his colleagues was in imminent danger. |
| The opposing accounts came on Tuesday at the inquiry into the death of Azelle Rodney who was shot six times by police in north London in April 2005 as he travelled in a car. Police believed he was part of an armed gang who were about to attempt a drugs heist. | The opposing accounts came on Tuesday at the inquiry into the death of Azelle Rodney who was shot six times by police in north London in April 2005 as he travelled in a car. Police believed he was part of an armed gang who were about to attempt a drugs heist. |
| On Tuesday night video footage of the incident recorded by one officer was released by the inquiry, despite the objections of the Metropolitan police. | On Tuesday night video footage of the incident recorded by one officer was released by the inquiry, despite the objections of the Metropolitan police. |
| Audio captures one officer saying "sweet as" three times, followed by what appear to be the dull thuds of police gunshots ringing out across a surburban street. The video does not capture the actual shooting. | Audio captures one officer saying "sweet as" three times, followed by what appear to be the dull thuds of police gunshots ringing out across a surburban street. The video does not capture the actual shooting. |
| Rodney, 24, was shot without an armed officer shouting an oral warning, the inquiry has been told. | Rodney, 24, was shot without an armed officer shouting an oral warning, the inquiry has been told. |
| The inquiry heard from Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, who believes her son was "summarily killed". | The inquiry heard from Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, who believes her son was "summarily killed". |
| In a statement during which she broke down, Alexander contrasted her son's death seven years ago to the fate of two other men in the car, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham, who were later convicted of firearms offences. Alexander said: "To state the obvious they were at least able to walk away alive on 30 April, and have long since served their prison sentences, while it seems to be that Azelle was executed that day and as a result never got to see his baby daughter." | In a statement during which she broke down, Alexander contrasted her son's death seven years ago to the fate of two other men in the car, Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham, who were later convicted of firearms offences. Alexander said: "To state the obvious they were at least able to walk away alive on 30 April, and have long since served their prison sentences, while it seems to be that Azelle was executed that day and as a result never got to see his baby daughter." |
| Her barrister, Leslie Thomas, said that his client's case accepted that Rodney was not wholly innocent: "We do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died. Nor do we seek to portray him as an angel. But he was entitled to be apprehended, if there was evidence he was entitled to be charged. | Her barrister, Leslie Thomas, said that his client's case accepted that Rodney was not wholly innocent: "We do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died. Nor do we seek to portray him as an angel. But he was entitled to be apprehended, if there was evidence he was entitled to be charged. |
| "He was entitled to be brought before a court of law to face a trial before a jury of his peers and if convicted, rightly and properly punished with the deprivation of his liberty. | "He was entitled to be brought before a court of law to face a trial before a jury of his peers and if convicted, rightly and properly punished with the deprivation of his liberty. |
| "The fact that he was strongly suspected of being involved in criminal wrongdoing does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed." | "The fact that he was strongly suspected of being involved in criminal wrongdoing does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed." |
| The intelligence in the Rodney case was passed to the Met by Customs. It is understood to have been developed through intercepts. Police believe it suggested that a gang would stage an armed heist against Colombian drug pushers on the streets of London, and steal their class A drugs. | The intelligence in the Rodney case was passed to the Met by Customs. It is understood to have been developed through intercepts. Police believe it suggested that a gang would stage an armed heist against Colombian drug pushers on the streets of London, and steal their class A drugs. |
| Samantha Leek QC, barrister for the firearms officer who killed Rodney, known as E7, said: "He believed that Mr Rodney had picked up and was preparing to shoot a fully automatic weapon, and he fired at Mr Rodney until he believed that there was no longer a threat. He fully understands that Mr Rodney's family hold him responsible for Mr Rodney's death. He believed that he had no alternative but to fire." | Samantha Leek QC, barrister for the firearms officer who killed Rodney, known as E7, said: "He believed that Mr Rodney had picked up and was preparing to shoot a fully automatic weapon, and he fired at Mr Rodney until he believed that there was no longer a threat. He fully understands that Mr Rodney's family hold him responsible for Mr Rodney's death. He believed that he had no alternative but to fire." |
| The Rodney case was one of the reasons that the last Labour government and then the current Conservative-led coalition considered introducing so called "secret inquests". | The Rodney case was one of the reasons that the last Labour government and then the current Conservative-led coalition considered introducing so called "secret inquests". |
| An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) exonerated the police, and the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no criminal case for police to answer. | An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) exonerated the police, and the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no criminal case for police to answer. |
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