Kaba

Sago

It’s disgusting that the recorder allowed the Police Officer to be named yet Kaba’s past was protected.

The jury weren't influenced in their decision by his past record; they reached their conclusion on the evidence presented in this case.

I think Cooper should instruct the IOPC not to proceed with further prosecution of the officer and he should receive government compensation for the unnecessary trial.

Another one here in total agreement with the OP.

A good friend of mine was a firearms officer in the local police, he also did undercover work, he was identified and his family threatened by a gang.

He now serves in another country a very long way from the UK but sticks to routine policing now.

It’s disgusting that the recorder allowed the Police Officer to be named yet Kaba’s past was protected.

He was a proper little charmer wasn't he .

I was relieved about the not guilty decision being reached in three hours, after a long forensic hearing. Later, I read the details about Kaba’s criminal activity which the jury knew nothing about.
The jury was told he was a father to be. The fact the mother of the child had an injunction against him because of domestic abuse wasn’t mentioned.

Since the prosecution of the officer involved, many police officers have declared themselves unwilling to use a firearm in the course of duty. Who can blame them? I'm glad that people join the force, but wonder why they do - each and every one of them is on a hiding to nothing from the moment they step out to protect us. Why was the officer's name made public? The inevitable consequence is that his life, and the life of his family , is now in danger .

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eazybee

But the police did not know whether there was a weapon in the car or on his body.
He had the option to switch off the engine, stop the car and open the door.

Do you think you can post this again in very large letters, as it doesn’t seem to be getting through to some.

BlueBelle

Why didn’t they shoot the tyres out, the car wouldn’t move then The man may be a terrible criminal but he wasn’t armed on this occasion and was shot point blank in the head !!!We don’t even have the death penalty in this country so just shoot dreadful criminals instead

I could have understood if he had been armed they knew he wasn’t and you could see his arms and hands were free of any weapons

Apparantly, the guns used, by police officers, could not quickly shoot tyres out on a moving car.

No sympathy for the guy that was killed - he chose to live that life. And, in the end, it killed him.

eazybee

But the police did not know whether there was a weapon in the car or on his body.
He had the option to switch off the engine, stop the car and open the door.

Instead he took the option of repeatedly ramming the police cars…

But the police did not know whether there was a weapon in the car or on his body.
He had the option to switch off the engine, stop the car and open the door.

They knew the car he was driving had been used in a shooting outside a school the day before

But they didnt know if the driver was armed on this occasion and in fact he held up both hands to show he wasnt.

My point is purely that in the discussion the facts about what they knew or didnt know in this situation needs to be accurate.

Agree with OP. The officers followed procedure.
The Met will have a problem with having trained armed officers willing to do armed shifts if they don’t sort this out.

Allira

So cleared by a jury but could be found guilty by the IOPC?
Is the IOPC above the law?

An interesting question indeed.
Are they above the law?

maddyfour

I saw his family proclaiming his innocence last night on BBC news.
I don’t know how they have the brass neck to stand there and claim he was a victim.
Unbelievable!

Quite. sadiq Khan and Corbyn and their pathetic followers were calling for justice for Kaba too.

They all look very stupid now the facts are out.

Clearly Kaba was a known violent criminal and the Police were at risk. However (and it's a big however) surely we can't having the Police shooting criminals without repercussions?

The police do NO T shoot violent criminals without repercussions. There is always an intensive inquiry and a thorough investigation. This officer should never have been charged with murder, and his name and personal details should not have been revealed.
No-one has mentioned how having shot a man dead will affect this officer, as it does on all involved in taking a life in the course of duty. Then two years of torment waiting for this trial, now knowing he has a price on his head from these sordid families involved in gang culture, and still people querying his actions.

Madgran77

*What they did know was that he was a known violent criminal and their lives were probably being put in danger by trying to stop him.*

No they didnt know he was until after he was shot.

I am not suggesting with my comments that the police action was necessarily wrong or disproportionate but I do think that the information about what informed their decision making needs to be accurate

They knew the car he was driving had been used in a shooting outside a school the day before.

The driver rammed police cars in an attempt to get away and it was feared the driver could be armed and lives could be lost.

What they did know was that he was a known violent criminal and their lives were probably being put in danger by trying to stop him.

No they didnt know he was until after he was shot.

I am not suggesting with my comments that the police action was necessarily wrong or disproportionate but I do think that the information about what informed their decision making needs to be accurate

They didn't know he wasn't armed as he had been involved in a shooting the month before and was suspected of being involved in an armed robbery the day before.He had been in prison for violent offences.

They didnt know who the driver was jbtil after he was shot so that was not part of the decision making to shoot or not re being armed or not

So cleared by a jury but could be found guilty by the IOPC?
Is the IOPC above the law?

The police officer found not guilty of murdering Chris Kaba, the violent gangster, could still face the sack for gross misconduct.

Jurors at the Old Bailey took just three hours to clear Sgt Martyn Blake on Monday following a three-week trial over the shooting of Kaba.

But despite being immediately reinstated by Scotland Yard, the highly experienced firearms specialist could still be charged with gross misconduct by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and lose his job.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, faces calls to intervene and stop any further investigations of Sgt Blake.

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