Menezes family press for police charges

Jonathan Thompson

Lawyers for the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian electrician shot dead by the Metropolitan Police in July 2005, will tomorrow demand a judicial review of the decision not to charge the police with any offences.

The family’s legal team, which will launch the action at the Royal Courts of Justice, is confident there is enough evidence to warrant prosecutions for unlawfully killing Mr Menezes, and that the Crown Prosecution Service used the wrong test in coming to their decision not to prosecute.

Mr Menezes was mistaken for a suspected suicide bomber and shot dead in south London on 22 July 2005. Police issued an apology, acknowledging that he wasn’t carrying explosives and was unconnected with failed bombing attempts.

Yesterday a spokesperson for the family said: “The Met’s organisational failure and flawed tactics led to his death. Within the Met, individuals devised the shoot-to-kill policy, individuals ordered Jean’s killing and individuals shot the seven bullets in his head. We are bringing this challenge because we believe that individuals should bear responsibility for this crime.”