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Boy shot for spurning local gangs Boy 'killed for rejecting gangs'
(19 minutes later)
The mother of murdered schoolboy Jessie James has told the inquest into his death he was killed because he refused to join a gang.The mother of murdered schoolboy Jessie James has told the inquest into his death he was killed because he refused to join a gang.
Jessie's mother Barbara Reid told Manchester coroner's court her 15-year-old son had been deliberately murdered by the gang. Barbara Reid told the Manchester coroner her 15-year-old son had been deliberately murdered by the gang.
She said: "Because they could not stand Jessie's rejection, they killed him".She said: "Because they could not stand Jessie's rejection, they killed him".
Jessie was fatally shot while cycling near Broadfield Park in Moss Side, Manchester, in September last year. Jessie was shot while cycling near Broadfield Park, Moss Side, Manchester, in September 2006. Police have said it may have been mistaken identity.
The inquest earlier heard an off-duty police officer went back to sleep without alerting authorities after being woken by a witness who claimed to have seen a shooting. Ms Reid told the inquest at Manchester Crown Court Jessie had "humiliated the gangsters" in Moss Side by refusing to become one of them.
Time and time again up until his death, Jessie humiliated the gangsters to their face by saying no to the gang Barbara Reid, Jessie's mother
In a statement read to the court she said he was shot because he stood up to them.
Ms Reid told the court: "Little did I know the gangs made Jessie's life a living hell.
"Jessie was cornered, pointed out and intimidated at every opportunity. He was coerced and compelled to join the gang.
"Time and time again up until his death, Jessie humiliated the gangsters to their face by saying no to the gang.
"This infuriated the gang and because they could not stand Jessie, Jessie's rejection, they killed him."
Shadow slumpShadow slump
The inquest earlier heard an off-duty police officer went back to sleep without alerting authorities after being woken by a witness who claimed to have seen the shooting.
The inquiry heard the caller had told the officer about seeing pistol muzzle flashes and a shadow slump down.The inquiry heard the caller had told the officer about seeing pistol muzzle flashes and a shadow slump down.
However, the officer did not report it to colleagues until the morning.
Barbara Reid says her son was killed for refusing to join a gangBarbara Reid says her son was killed for refusing to join a gang
However, the officer did not report it to colleagues until the morning.
The Witness A, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was hysterical and told the detective, known as Officer A, about the suspected shooting, according to lawyer Pete Weatherby, representing the family.The Witness A, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was hysterical and told the detective, known as Officer A, about the suspected shooting, according to lawyer Pete Weatherby, representing the family.
Officer A denied being given this description and described the account of events as "vague".Officer A denied being given this description and described the account of events as "vague".
Speaking via a video link from behind a screen and with his voice distorted, the officer told the court he had been woken in the middle of the night by the call after taking medication for a chest infection.Speaking via a video link from behind a screen and with his voice distorted, the officer told the court he had been woken in the middle of the night by the call after taking medication for a chest infection.
The drugs had made him drowsy and had affected his judgment, the officer said.The drugs had made him drowsy and had affected his judgment, the officer said.
Scared and hystericalScared and hysterical
The inquest heard that the witness was involved with a police operation at the time of the shooting and that the officer had been concerned not to jeopardise the witness's safety. Asked what the caller had told them, the officer said: "At no point did Witness A say anybody had been injured, shot or certainly killed."
The witness had been given the officer's mobile phone number and called after seeing the shooting while sat in a car shortly after 0100 BST.
Asked what the caller had told them, the officer said: "At no point did Witness A say anybody had been injured, shot or certainly killed.
If they had said to me anything about witnessing a shooting or somebody being injured or killed I would have called the duty inspector Officer A
"The witness was initially scared. In the first 20 seconds it's possible that the witness was hysterical, I can't recall.
"If they had said to me anything about witnessing a shooting or somebody being injured or killed I would have called the duty inspector."
The inquest was told that officers who were called to a "disturbance" in the area were not told by bystanders that a schoolboy had been shot.The inquest was told that officers who were called to a "disturbance" in the area were not told by bystanders that a schoolboy had been shot.
It was one-and-a-half hours later that a second emergency call was made and police came and found the blood-soaked body of the youngster lying beside his bicycle in the early hours of 9 September.It was one-and-a-half hours later that a second emergency call was made and police came and found the blood-soaked body of the youngster lying beside his bicycle in the early hours of 9 September.
Almost all the key witnesses have given evidence at the inquest from behind screens and over video link with their voices distorted to maintain their anonymity.Almost all the key witnesses have given evidence at the inquest from behind screens and over video link with their voices distorted to maintain their anonymity.
The special measures have been introduced to combat the wall of silence police have confronted when trying to question members of the local community about the murder.The special measures have been introduced to combat the wall of silence police have confronted when trying to question members of the local community about the murder.