Lawful killing verdict in gun-lighter case upheld Friday February 3, 02:17 PM    

LONDON (Reuters) - The family of a man shot four times in the back by police marksmen after he pointed a cigarette lighter in the shape of handgun at officers, on Friday lost their bid for a fresh inquest into his death.

Justice Andrew Collins at London's High Court ruled the coroner had been correct to deny the jury in the inquest of 29-year old Derek Bennett the opportunity to return an unlawful killing verdict.


Relatives of Bennett, killed in Brixton in July 2001, had challenged the inquest verdict in December 2004 which said he had been lawfully killed.
Collins ruled that since the jury had gone on to reach a majority verdict of lawful killing, they would not have reached a verdict of unlawful killing even if that verdict had been open to them.

His ruling was met with anger by Bennett's family, who packed the courtroom. His mother repeatedly slammed one of the court benches, crying "They murdered him, they murdered my son."

Others joined in, one asking: "How many times do you shoot someone before they become unharmful?"

At the original inquest, police said they had fired because they thought the lighter which Bennett, a one-time psychiatric patient, had held to the head of another man was a real gun.

When the other man had wriggled free, Bennett was said to have pointed the imitation weapon at the police at which point they had taken cover and then shot him.

Collins said it was clear the jury had not been persuaded the incident was anything other than lawful killing.

"It is quite impossible to conceive that they could have been persuaded that it was clear beyond reasonable doubt that this was an unlawful killing. It is simply logically impossible."

During his ruling, the judge said the time may have come to remove the verdict of unlawful killing altogether from inquests, on the basis that it leads to erroneous reporting by some media who  treat it as tantamount to a verdict of murder in a criminal trial.

Well, pointing something that looks like a gun at armed police in this country is instant suicide. I mean, you don't even need something that looks like a gun, e.g. like a table-leg, or a newspaper...anything can get you killed by UK armed police...as long as they remotely think you are a danger to them or the public.

Completely justified.

No problems here.

If a man with a gun and a uniform issues an instruction I'd have thought it sensible to obey him.

While I struggle with shooting a disabled bloke with a table leg in the back of the head this idiot seems to have got what he deserved.

Richard

Sounds fair to me......

Taffy

anyone got a light?

On a similar subject.... When will smoking be banned in cars?

Just heard a cracker tonight, some dizzy mare driving back from work at 10pm put her car through a wall up the road, my mate went out to recover the car and she told him that she had tried to light a fag........ and the lighter "flash" blinded her temporarily........

No plod involved, but I would like to see that insurance claim form!!!

Dave Allen, once told a brill joke about driver's that smoked being totally high due to the smoke and exhaust fume's from the vehicle's. I still smoke, but am about to quit........

I have been thinking about it every day now for the last few year's, if anyone has any tip's or advice for me please feel free to PM me or post here.

I have given up in the past, but started again, what a divvy I am.

If I quit I'd have more money for my black rifle habit, now there's a habit that I don't want to kick.

Toe.

Edited to add, I don't and never have owned a lighter that look's like a weapon, sound's to me like he tried to bluff, more fool him.

I jacked it in after 8 years at 10 a day.......... I would suggest doing it cold turkey and avoid alcohol for a few weeks...... Will power tends to slip when inebriated....

Good Luck!

I've been of it too for the last 2 weeks and it's going well.
Wine gums are pretty good

You just have to be ready to give up.

Mark

Quoted: I've been of it too for the last 2 weeks and it's going well. Wine gums are pretty good You just have to be ready to give up. Mark

I must admit, my cravings shot up along with my weight when i stopped, I used to be 12 stone wet through, now I'm nearly 20...........

Wine gums........... hmmmmmmmm, Rowntrees.....

Also found sollace in the odd yowg ceegar occasionally (just for the taste mind you)...

chewing gum worked for me

Thank's for your support, I'm off on a Re-Ha due to another problem and I'll be there for three week's. I have been told that they will give me all the support and help to quit as part of the treatment.

I will be off-line from the 15.02 untill the middle of march, I don't have a laptop, and I don't know if I'll have a chance to get on the net while I'm there.

Toe