London Indymedia

Family of Jean Charles de Menezes, lodge official complaint against Blair lies

Justice for Jean Charles de Menezes | 22.10.2005 11:15 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Repression | London | World

The family has lodged a formal complaint against the Met Police over the 30 hour delay before they were informed of the 27-year-old's death despite him carrying several forms of ID on him and having his home in Scotia Road, south London under surveillance.

Sir Ian Blair head of the Metropolitan Police force also told several lies, and allowed these lies to circulate in the media. Ian Blair should resign or be sacked.

If the British public are to have any trust in the Police, the Police should not be run by a liar lacking integrity.

Maria Otone da Silva "I'm so sad about what has happened to my son but I feel the English people, everybody wants to have the truth" (Jean's Mother)

Jean Charles de Menezes (innocent): Son, brother, uncle, cousin, a good friend
Jean Charles de Menezes (innocent): Son, brother, uncle, cousin, a good friend

Mother of Jean Charles: Maria Otone de Menezes
Mother of Jean Charles: Maria Otone de Menezes


MENEZES' FAMILY lodge complaint

The Menezes family say police should have corrected early reports:

The family of the man mistakenly shot dead by police have made an official complaint about alleged misinformation circulated after the shooting.

Jean Charles De Menezes' family are angry early reports suggested he had fled from anti-terror officers and was wearing a bulky jacket.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been asked to examine why police did not correct the claims.

The Stockwell Tube death came the day after the 21 July failed London bombs.

The 27-year-old electrician was shot seven times in the head by anti-terror officers after being mistaken for a suicide bomber.

The investigation comes after the Menezes family's lawyers wrote to the IPCC, which is also investigating the shooting.

Speaking at the end of their London visit, the Brazilian's relatives said Scotland Yard should have done more to dismiss misleading reports.

Harriet Wistrich, one of their solicitors, said: "We know Sir Ian Blair [Metropolitan Police commissioner] made a statement saying he [Mr Menezes] did not stop when challenged.

"There have been other pieces of information which went out into the media.

"This is something that happens again and again when people are killed by the police.

"It should not have been allowed to go on for so long."


Justice call:
An official complaint has also been lodged about the length of time it took for police to inform them of the 27-year-old's death.

The family say they were not informed of the shooting until 30 hours after it had taken place and that they had to go to the police station to find out what had happened.

At a press conference Mr Menezes' mother, Maria Otone da Silva, and two of his cousins repeated their call for the truth about his death and for the officers responsible to face charges.

His mother said: "I'm so sad about what has happened to my son but I feel the English people, everybody wants to have the truth.

"The police did the wrong job. Of course we have to have justice and the investigation but they did wrong and I hope we find the truth and that they go to prison."


 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4334836.stm



Brazilian Family Hope for Justice
Wednesday, 12th October 2005

LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - The family of Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead by police at Stockwell tube station, said they believed the investigation into his death would produce justice and the officers responsible should go to prison.

But they spoke of their anger that the Independent Police Complaints Commission took five days before beginning their investigation in to the shooting.

De Menezes, an electrician, was shot seven times in the head and once in the shoulder after anti-terror police followed him into Stockwell Tube station believing him to be a suicide bomb suspect.

At a press conference in central London today before flying back to Brazil the family said the Met Police had still failed to answer some questions, but they hoped the truth would emerge when the IPCC investigation is completed by Christmas and its findings are handed over to the CPS.

They warned that justice would have to be seen to be done because "the whole world is watching."

The family has lodged a formal complaint against the Met Police over the 30 hour delay before they were informed of the 27-year-old's death despite him carrying several forms of ID on him and having his home in Scotia Road, south London under surveillance.

At the Railway Workers Union's RMT headquarters in Euston Mr de Menezes weeping mother, Maria Otoni de Menezes gave a press conference along with her son Giovanni da Silva and cousins Alex Pereira and Patricia da Silva Armani.

The emotional elderly mother thanked the British people for their support and said: "I am looking for justice and I hope no mother in the whole world feels the pain that I have now because what I feel is so hard.

"I discovered in this country that people work so hard. I saw so many young people go to their jobs and I was thinking about how their mothers must worry about the same situation happening.

"Their sons leave their homes to go to work and they don't come back because my son left on that day and never came back because the police killed him.

"I am so sad what happened to my son but I really think the English people would like to hear the answers about what the police did. Everyone wants to hear the truth because the truth will make justice.

"The police did the wrong thing and they are still free. Of course we must have justice but the investigation must come first. They did wrong and I hope they find the truth and they go to prison."

Cousin Alex Pereira said the family had met up with the IPCC but said: "We asked a lot of questions but a lot of them went unanswered because they were still investigating.

"We are so angry because they did not go to the scene of the crime on that Friday."

He added: "A lot of people said they were sad the police shot him because he ran away. Now everyone knows that is not true and the British people have to ask for justice.

"It looks bad for you because what your police did and the whole world is watching. The police think they can kill anyone and then cover it up. But now everyone has come together the police have to do something now because they have this shoot-to-kill policy.

He said the family have met with John Denham MP Chair of The House of Commons Home Affairs select committee, Claire Short, Anne Cryer and George Galloway who have all lent their support into stopping the controversial shoot-to-kill policy.

Jean's older brother Giovanni said: "We are returning to Brazil and leave with the certainty that we will obtain justice and punishment for those found guilty.

"We the family have asked many questions but have not yet heard the answers we are looking for. We believe we will discover the answer we ask of them and uncover the lie that was told to the family.

"The police failed many times and committed many errors. We don't agree with the police and what they said about Jean, he died innocently. He did not run away from the police. He was unjustifiably assassinated in the London metro.

"These truths must be clarified. We want the world to know the police were not truthful. We must respect life and those that are in the wrong must be punished in the courts."


 http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=WU1218554P&news_headline=brazilian_family_hope_for_justice

Justice for Jean Charles de Menezes

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