Mr de Menezes, 27, died at Stockwell station in July 2005 while police were attempting to find those responsible for failed suicide bombings the day before. The CPS decided not to prosecute officers in 2006 and instead charged the Metropolitan police a £175,000 fine and with breaching health and safety laws. At the time, Sir Ian Blair, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and Jack Straw, the-the Foreign Secretary, expressed ‘deep regret’ for the death, but insisted the shoot-to-kill policy for suspected suicide bombers would remain.
Criminal charges
But his cousin Patricia Armani da Silva is challenging the decision in the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that the UK breached his human rights by failing to bring criminal charges against anyone involved and that the test is too high in cases involving those who are killed by the state. Yasmin Khan, spokesperson for the Menezes family, told the BBC: ‘The family believe there was plenty of evidence that came out in the inquest that could have led to successful prosecutions.’ The family’s case will be put before judges later today. Sources: BBC News; The Independent
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