Justiça britânica condena polícia no caso Jean Charles

	Nenhum policial foi indiciado individualmente pela morte

A Polícia Metropolitana de Londres foi considerada culpada nesta quarta-feira de colocar a segurança pública em risco no episódio que resultou na morte do eletricista brasileiro Jean Charles de Menezes.

O eletricista foi morto a tiros pela polícia em 22 de julho de 2005, ao entrar em um vagão de metrô na estação de Stockwell, no sul de Londres, depois de ser confundido com um homem-bomba.

A promotoria identificou 19 falhas da operação policial nas horas anteriores à morte de Jean Charles.

O eletricista foi morto um dia depois de atentados frustrados contra o sistema de transporte de Londres.

A polícia foi condenada a pagar multa de 175 mil libras (cerca de R$ 634 mil) e mais 385 mil libras (cerca de R$ 1,394 milhão) pelos custos do processo.

A comandante Cressida Dick, que estava à frente da operação, foi isenta de qualquer responsabilidade individual.

Defesa

Em um comunicado, o chefe da Autoridade da Polícia Metropolitana, Len Duvall, disse que policiar Londres é um "trabalho duro".

"A gente pede à polícia que faça um trabalho difícil em nosso nome e, às vezes, eles cometem erros", disse Duvall.

"Este caso elvou à morte trágica de um inocente", acrescentou. "Nosso objetivo é garantir que todos aprendam algo com essa tragédia."

O advogado de defesa da polícia, Ronald Thwaites, disse ao júri que Jean Charles estava agindo "de maneira agressiva e ameaçadora" quando foi interpelado pelos policiais, mas ativistas reagiram com protestos e acusaram a polícia de tentar denegrir a imagem do brasileiro.

A promotoria também acusou a defesa de manipular uma composição fotográfica juntando o rosto de Jean Charles e do suspeito Hussein Osman, com quem o brasileiro foi confundido, para fazer com que os dois ficassem mais parecidos.

A estimativa é de que a investigação e o julgamento tenham custado 3,5 milhões de libras em dinheiro público (cerca de R$ 12,6 milhões).

Antes do início do julgamento, o comandante da Polícia Metropolitana, Ian Blair, disse temer que um veredicto de "culpado" tivesse um impacto profundo no policiamento em toda a Grã-Bretanha.

Falhas

Durante o julgamento, a promotoria argumentou que "falhas fundamentais" em todos os níveis levaram à morte de Jean Charles.

A operação começou quando detetives que investigavam os atentados fracassados da véspera ligaram um dos suspeitos, Hussein Osman, a um bloco de apartamentos no sul de Londres.

Jean Charles morava no mesmo prédio e, quando saiu de casa, às 9h30 (hora local), os agentes de vigilância não estavam certos se ele era o alvo.

A promotoria disse ao júri que a situação piorou porque os oficiais mais altos falharam em se ater ao plano antes acordado, enquanto a patrulha armada foi mal informada e nas ocasiões erradas.

A polícia negou essas alegações e afirmou que os comandantes e agentes que participaram da operação fizeram o possível para interceptar o suspeito e minimizar os riscos para o público.

Last Updated: Thursday, 1 November 2007, 14:18 GMT E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Timeline: The shooting of Menezes

Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead on 22 July, 2005, by police who mistook him for one of four would-be suicide bombers who attacked London's transport system the previous day. The minute-by-minute account of the police operation and Mr de Menezes' final hours reveals decisions that led to his death. 0400-0604 Scotland Yard's plan 0640-0856 Stake-out starts 0933-0943 Target emerges 0947-0959 Confusion among officers 1001-1004 Pressure mounts at Stockwell 1005-1008 The shooting SCOTLAND YARD'S PLAN 0420: Special Branch links 21 July suspect Hussain Osman to 21 Scotia Road in Lambeth, south London. Hussain Osman was wanted by police in relation to the 21 July attempted bomb attacks 0455: Metropolitan Police Gold Commander John McDowell orders strategy for stake-out. 0505: Request made for surveillance teams and CO19 (Specialist Firearms officers) to go to Scotia Road. 0545: Commander Cressida Dick sets up Operations Room at New Scotland Yard. 06:04: First surveillance team arrives at Scotia Road. STAKE-OUT STARTS 0640-730: Senior officers are briefed by Cmdr McDowell. 0700: 0700: Firearms teams collect weapons, including special "dum dum" bullets, from Leman Street Police Station. 0845: Five firearms vehicles arrive at Nightingale Lane, more than two miles west of Scotia Road. 0855: Second surveillance team arrives at Scotia Road. TARGET EMERGES 0933: Jean Charles de Menezes leaves Scotia Road while surveillance officer Frank is relieving himself and he is not identified as a suspect. Jean Charles de Menezes (JC) was followed onto the No 2 bus by surveillance officers 0934: Operations Room is told Mr de Menezes matches Hussain Osman's description. 0939: Surveillance officer James spots Mr de Menezes on Upper Tulse Hill, where police have managed to get the bus stop suspended. James believes Mr de Menezes is "possibly identical" to Osman. Surveillance officer Harry reports that the target is light-skinned, North African and looking uneasy. 0939: Mr de Menezes boards No 2 bus at bus stop on Tulse Hill. Surveillance officer Ivor catches bus and boards. 0943: Ivor cannot positively identify Mr de Menezes as Hussain Osman. He says the target has "Mongolian eyes". CONFUSION AMONG OFFICERS 0947: Senior firearms adviser tells Ops Room the surveillance team does not think the person they are following is Hussain Osman. Mr de Menezes gets off bus at Brixton town centre and walks 20 metres north to tube station. But the station is closed and he uses his mobile to send a text message and make a call before returning to bus. Ivor gets off bus but doesn't follow Mr de Menezes back on board in case he is noticed. Ivor gets a lift to get to Stockwell tube station ahead of bus. Two surveillance officers at Brixton tube station see Mr de Menezes and don't think it is Hussain Osman. Surveillance officer Laurence gets on bus and sits behind Mr de Menezes. 0952: Firearms teams leave Nightingale Lane. 0959: Bus reaches Stockwell Road. Surveillance officer Ken gets out of car following bus and heads for Stockwell Tube station, where Ivor is waiting. PRESSURE MOUNTS AT STOCKWELL 1001: Mr de Menezes gets off bus and enters Stockwell tube, seen by Ken and Ivor. Firearms officers arrived at Stockwell Tube more than a minute after Mr de Menezes 1002: James asks Operations Room for instructions. He waits 86 seconds for reply and tells team to maintain surveillance. 1003: Firearms officers still en route to Stockwell. Trojan 80, firearms chief at Scotland Yard shouts down phone to officers to get to the scene. Mr de Menezes approaches barriers followed by surveillance officers. Ops room uncertain about whether firearms teams can arrest target in time. 1004: Mr de Menezes on escalator followed by surveillance officers. Ops room told firearms officers closing in. Surveillance officers don't hear this information and don't know whether they should stop the target. Firearms teams arrive at Stockwell and Commander Dick orders them to stop Mr de Menezes. "State Red" declared - meaning firearms officers will take charge of stopping the target. Surveillance officers following Mr de Menezes down escalator do not hear State Red because radios not working inside tube station. THE SHOOTING 1005: Mr de Menezes is sitting on a northbound underground train. Messages of sympathy and condolence were left at Stockwell Tube after the shooting Ivor sits to Mr de Menezes's left with passengers between them, facing the platform. Geoff is at the end of the carriage. Ken is in the same carriage. Malcolm gets off the train and goes onto the platform. Laurence is further down the carriage. Armed officers reach the train and shout. Ken and Ivor point to Mr de Menezes. Three armed officers board the train. Mr de Menezes stands up and moves towards Ivor and the armed officers, but Ivor forces him back down into his seat. Two firearms officers lean over and shoot Mr de Menezes dead. Unsure of Ivor's identity, a firearms officer drags him onto platform, guns levelled at his chest and head. Another firearms officer runs into the tunnel, chasing the train driver, who had jumped out of his cabin. CO19 team leader Ralph arrives at the bottom of the escalator. He examines Mr de Menezes's body. 1008: Operations Room is informed that the target has been shot.

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