Fordy62 Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 As per title. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-50333081 must be more to this than we already know... surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Bizarre situation - if it was a case of him just being tasered and losing his life from that then it is just tragic, but to be charging a Policeman for murder then there surely has to be more to this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Murder requires there to be an intent to kill, or an intent to seriously injure. Police officers are taught during training they tasers are non lethal force and that any injury sustained will only be temporary. So I’m not sure how they could ever be considered intention to seriously injure. if it’s being suggested that their use of taser was wholly unlawful and unwarranted then surely this should be a manslaughter case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Plus the other copper has been charged with ABH as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Why has it taken so long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Just now, Super said: Why has it taken so long? Closing ranks I expect, was it the good old WMP?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 7 minutes ago, wood_red said: Closing ranks I expect, was it the good old WMP?? :laugh:. No. West Mercia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Geoff Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Alternative charge of Unlawful Manslaughter also put forward by CPS for the officer charged with Murder. Guess CPS are hedging their bets knowing the manslaghter charge will be easier to prove. As Fordy alludes to there must be so much more to this case than a simple tasering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 There must be more to this yes. Was he a recognised player? I didn’t know him but maybe the people involved did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 2 hours ago, Fordy62 said: Murder requires there to be an intent to kill, or an intent to seriously injure. Absolutely my first thought Fordy. From the reports at the time I thought police had been called to protect Atkinson's old man as his son, in an extreme state of agitation, was threatening him kill him. So assuming via random allocation these officers were called upon to attend, carrying police authorised equipment, I'm struggling to see what premeditated grudge either officer might hold? Atkinson, being a comparatively fit and healthy young man, wouldn't have been identified as a higher risk candidate re use of an approved taser. Had they shot him I'd understand, but tasers aren't supposed to cause death or serious injury. In which case this must relate to what the officers did after they'd incapacitated him using the taser. For that to result in a charge of murder implies their use of force must have been extreme and prolonged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted November 7, 2019 Admin Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Was a very sad news story at the time, especially with his personal problems. Agree that it is odd wording in the charge, but time will tell I guess on why this is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northsomersetred Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 We have the most corrupt judicial system in the Western world that loves to cover for their own, don't hold your breath for a conviction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NcnsBcfc Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Fordy62 said: Murder requires there to be an intent to kill, or an intent to seriously injure. Police officers are taught during training they tasers are non lethal force and that any injury sustained will only be temporary. So I’m not sure how they could ever be considered intention to seriously injure. if it’s being suggested that their use of taser was wholly unlawful and unwarranted then surely this should be a manslaughter case. @Fordy62 Bizarre alternate indictment proposed of unlawful act of manslaughter. I wonder if the CPS have little confidence that the original charge will stand up in court, under proper cross legal examination. R v Murray, is a bit of a game changer for gross negligent manslaughers. As the definition of grossness has now been amended. That's why the jury at Hillsborough trial struggled to reach a verdict over Duckenfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Hitler Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 It does seem odd. This bloke was tasered in Plymouth whilst doused in petrol and this set him on fire and he died; the police officer was using the taser to try to stop him setting fire himself with a lit match he was holding and there were no charges. Intent has surely to be paramount in these cases or, given that tasers can cause heart attack and deaths, police officers would be well advised to refuse to carry them and leave them in their lockers. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-officer-will-not-face-charges-for-tasering-man-doused-in-petrol-who-caught-fire-and-died-9799952.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, ncnsbcfc said: @Fordy62 Bizarre alternate indictment proposed of unlawful act of manslaughter. I wonder if the CPS have little confidence that the original charge will stand up in court, under proper cross legal examination. We had exactly that discussion today, you don’t ever see that. I can easily see murder being dismissed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grifty Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 4 hours ago, BTRFTG said: Absolutely my first thought Fordy. From the reports at the time I thought police had been called to protect Atkinson's old man as his son, in an extreme state of agitation, was threatening him kill him. So assuming via random allocation these officers were called upon to attend, carrying police authorised equipment, I'm struggling to see what premeditated grudge either officer might hold? Atkinson, being a comparatively fit and healthy young man, wouldn't have been identified as a higher risk candidate re use of an approved taser. Had they shot him I'd understand, but tasers aren't supposed to cause death or serious injury. In which case this must relate to what the officers did after they'd incapacitated him using the taser. For that to result in a charge of murder implies their use of force must have been extreme and prolonged. I don't think he was though, 48 at the time and also had a range of personal health problems including his heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillred Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 48 minutes ago, northsomersetred said: We have the most corrupt judicial system in the Western world that loves to cover for their own, don't hold your breath for a conviction. Yes a lot of masonic handshakes involved no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy62 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 1 hour ago, northsomersetred said: We have the most corrupt judicial system in the Western world that loves to cover for their own, don't hold your breath for a conviction. You think our judicial system is the most corrupt in the western world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Maesknoll Red Posted November 7, 2019 Admin Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 51 minutes ago, grifty said: I don't think he was though, 48 at the time and also had a range of personal health problems including his heart. That may not be evident if he looked reasonably fit. Unless there is definite evidence that the coppers did something drastically wrong, it’s an odd case. I have some sympathy, even having had my own run ins with law enforcement a few years ago, damned if they do taser, damned if they don’t and the person hurts or kills someone’s else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Up The City! Posted November 8, 2019 Report Share Posted November 8, 2019 I think it's pretty clear that for the officer to be charged with murder, this goes far beyond the normal use of a taser. The amount of time it's taken to make this charge really bothers me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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