The Met Police has said a full inquest into the death of violent gangster Chris Kaba should not go ahead after the police marksman who shot him dead was cleared of murder.
asserted
who → say → murder
But Kaba's family have argued that officer Martyn Blake - known by his cipher NX121 - could have been acting 'unreasonably' when he fired at the 24-year-old, in September 2022.
uncertain
he → argue → September
Coroner Dr Julian Morris listened to both sides as he announced a decision on whether there will be a full inquest would be made next week.
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decision → listen → sides
The shooting occurred after armed police tailed the vehicle Kaba was driving as it had been used as a getaway car in a gang-related shooting the night before in Brixton, south London.
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it → occur → Brixton
When police boxed in the vehicle in nearby Streatham, Kaba revved his Audi 4x4 back and forth, almost dragging the ten officers surrounding him under the wheels before Mr Blake shot him.
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Blake → box → him
He was armed with a semi-automatic SIG Sauer MCX carbine which fires a bullet travelling at 800 metres a second.
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which → arm → metres
Kaba was hit in the head and died instantly.
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Kaba → hit → head
The 42-year-old officer was cleared of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey, with fellow police marksmen turning in their own weapons after being enraged he had faced charges.
asserted
he → clear → charges
The Met Police has said a full inquest into the death of violent gangster Chris Kaba should not go ahead after the police marksman who shot him dead was cleared of murder
Kaba's vehicle was hemmed in by marked and unmarked police cars during the incident in South London, in September 2022
The footage shows armed officers running towards Kaba's car before he was fatally shot
Jason
asserted
he → say → car
Beer KC, for the Met Police, argued that the re-opening of the inquest could 'confuse rather than illuminate' what happened on that fateful night and that it was 'not in the public interest'.
uncertain
it → argue → interest
He said: 'Just because these wider issues weren't discussed in the criminal trial it does not mean the inquest needs to be resumed.
'
asserted
inquest → say → trial
The inquest proposed is becoming increasingly broad rather than a proper investigation into the circumstances of his death.
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inquest → propose → death
'When an incident happens that results in death, it is proceeded with an investigation as to whether there has been misconduct or culpability.
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it → happen → investigation
Just because the investigative body didn't find any issues it does not mean there needs to be an inquest.
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it → find → issues
Indeed, rather that throws the world upside down.
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that → throw → world
There's a danger that if such proceedings happened it would confuse rather than illuminate what happened.'
asserted
what → be → ?
Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman added: 'The circumstances around Chris Kaba's death have already been fully established during the independent IOPC investigation and criminal trial.
'
asserted
circumstances → add → investigation
In particular, the actions of officer NX121 have been comprehensively examined and cross-examined.
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actions → examine → NX121
After four years of unimaginable stress and uncertainty for the officer and his family, the facts of what happened are known and he has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
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he → happen → wrongdoing
While our thoughts remain with Mr Kaba's family for their loss, resuming the inquest and duplicating the investigations that have already taken place is not in the public interest.
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that → remain → interest
Firearms officers risk their lives to keep the public safe - and as professionals they understand that any police shooting will be rightly scrutinised to establish the facts.
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shooting → risk → facts
But there must be an end point to that process, and it is our submission to the coroner that we have reached that point in this case.'
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we → reach → case
Kaba's family however have demanded a full inquest into his death.
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family → demand → death
Their barrister Matthew Ryder KC said: 'We have set out in our submissions reasons why the family submit their reasons for an inquest.
'
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family → say → inquest
It can be condensed into a single question - "why did this police officer shoot our son?"
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officer → condense → son
The question is not why does he say why he shot our son, but why did he shoot our son?
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he → say → son
The single question has a number of elements to it, why did it happen in the way that it did, why were the cars positioned in that way.
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cars → have → way
'Were they positioned in the way this officer says they were, or the way the IOPC said they were?
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they → position → way
'There is a real concern that the officer acted unreasonably.
'
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officer → be → ?
We accept that this does not make the officer criminally liable, but if that officer did have an unreasonable belief then it is critical there is an opportunity to explore it.'
asserted
it → accept → it
Mr Ryder added: 'In every single case that we are aware of when a police officer has shot someone in public there has been an inquest.
'
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officer → add → public
The commissioner should want to know if one of his police officers killed a man based on an unreasonable belief.'
asserted
one → want → belief
Mr Ryder explained that it is legitimate for an inquest to resume after a criminal trial where a police officer is cleared.
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officer → explain → trial
He said the inquest jury could find the officer's understanding was mistaken or inappropriate.
uncertain
understanding → say → ?
Coroner Dr Julian Morris said: 'I have got the who, what and where, but the general point of view is that I don't have to go to why.
'
asserted
I → say → why
All of your questions relating to the officer are of why.
asserted
All → relate → why
For example, if someone takes their life to an overdose I don't have to establish why.'
asserted
I → take → overdose
Mr Ryder replied: 'When you have an officer killing someone in the street, how and why are difficult to delineate.
'
asserted
officer → reply → street
If an officer killed someone on misunderstanding and unreasonably assessing the situation, asking how it happened or why it happened are hard to delineate.
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it → kill → situation
'Lots of questions will flow from this, both how and why.'
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Lots → flow → this
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
