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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jessie 'accused of being in gang' | Jessie 'accused of being in gang' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A witness at the inquest into the death of murdered schoolboy Jessie James has said an argument he had about being in a gang may have led to him being shot. | A witness at the inquest into the death of murdered schoolboy Jessie James has said an argument he had about being in a gang may have led to him being shot. |
| Jessie, 15, was shot and killed as he rode his bike near Broadfield Park in Moss Side, Manchester, last September. | Jessie, 15, was shot and killed as he rode his bike near Broadfield Park in Moss Side, Manchester, last September. |
| The witness, known as witness D, handed a note into Manchester Crown Court naming the person he had the row with. | The witness, known as witness D, handed a note into Manchester Crown Court naming the person he had the row with. |
| The coroner has issued arrest warrants for two key witnesses after they ignored summonses to give evidence. | The coroner has issued arrest warrants for two key witnesses after they ignored summonses to give evidence. |
| Jessie and his friends were riding through the park on their bikes when the boys heard shots in the early hours of 9 September 2006, and the group dispersed. | Jessie and his friends were riding through the park on their bikes when the boys heard shots in the early hours of 9 September 2006, and the group dispersed. |
| They later went back to search for Jessie and found his body. | They later went back to search for Jessie and found his body. |
| Jessie had been with two of the witnesses moments before | Jessie had been with two of the witnesses moments before |
| Jessie, a pupil at the Manchester Academy, was shot three times with a semi-automatic handgun in Raby Street. | Jessie, a pupil at the Manchester Academy, was shot three times with a semi-automatic handgun in Raby Street. |
| His inquest is being held at Manchester Crown Court rather than the coroner's court for security reasons. | His inquest is being held at Manchester Crown Court rather than the coroner's court for security reasons. |
| Witnesses who give evidence at the inquest can do so anonymously in an effort to encourage people to come forward and identify the killer. | Witnesses who give evidence at the inquest can do so anonymously in an effort to encourage people to come forward and identify the killer. |
| On Monday, witness D told the court Jessie had been in a confrontation a few days before he was shot, in which he was accused of being in a gang in front of rival gang members. | On Monday, witness D told the court Jessie had been in a confrontation a few days before he was shot, in which he was accused of being in a gang in front of rival gang members. |
| The witness was asked by lawyer Pete Weatherby, representing Jessie's family, if he thought the argument was linked to the killing. | The witness was asked by lawyer Pete Weatherby, representing Jessie's family, if he thought the argument was linked to the killing. |
| Witness D replied: "I think it was." | Witness D replied: "I think it was." |
| When asked who this person was, the witness wrote a name down and handed it to the court. | When asked who this person was, the witness wrote a name down and handed it to the court. |
| 'Five gunshots' | 'Five gunshots' |
| Another witness, known as witness A, told the court he had seen Jessie being shot. | Another witness, known as witness A, told the court he had seen Jessie being shot. |
| He said he was sitting in a car opposite the park when he saw the gunman pull the trigger. | He said he was sitting in a car opposite the park when he saw the gunman pull the trigger. |
| Manchester Coroner Nigel Meadows read a police statement witness A had given shortly after the killing. | Manchester Coroner Nigel Meadows read a police statement witness A had given shortly after the killing. |
| In it the witness said: "As soon as (a fourth male) went inside the park I heard about five gunshots. | In it the witness said: "As soon as (a fourth male) went inside the park I heard about five gunshots. |
| "I looked at the time. It was 1am and by 1.01am the gunshots had finished." | "I looked at the time. It was 1am and by 1.01am the gunshots had finished." |
| Thousands turned up to Jessie's funeral | Thousands turned up to Jessie's funeral |
| The statement continued: "The person was taking aim with one hand, stretching his arm and firing into the figure who was about 6ft away. | The statement continued: "The person was taking aim with one hand, stretching his arm and firing into the figure who was about 6ft away. |
| "As soon as the figure went down on to the ground he stopped firing." | "As soon as the figure went down on to the ground he stopped firing." |
| Witness D said he had been with Jessie and a friend, witness Z, moments before he started to cycle through the park on his way to a house party. | Witness D said he had been with Jessie and a friend, witness Z, moments before he started to cycle through the park on his way to a house party. |
| While his friends rode ahead on their bikes, Jessie was encouraged to stay a little longer by boy Z, said witness D. | While his friends rode ahead on their bikes, Jessie was encouraged to stay a little longer by boy Z, said witness D. |
| Witness Z later denied the killing had anything to do with his cousin, who is a member of the notorious Manchester Gooch gang. | Witness Z later denied the killing had anything to do with his cousin, who is a member of the notorious Manchester Gooch gang. |
| Witness D said Jessie had been wrongly accused of being in a rival gang, known as the Doddies. | Witness D said Jessie had been wrongly accused of being in a rival gang, known as the Doddies. |
| The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday. | |
| Despite pleas from his mother and the police for the Moss Side community to help identify Jessie's killer, no-one has ever been caught. | Despite pleas from his mother and the police for the Moss Side community to help identify Jessie's killer, no-one has ever been caught. |