A former colleague of Metropolitan Police firearms officer Martyn Blake, who was cleared of murdering Chris Kaba, has claimed that Blake should never have faced trial in the first place. Blake shot Mr Kaba during a vehicle stop in September 2022, despite Mr Kaba not carrying a gun. The unnamed colleague defended Blake, stating that no evidence existed indicating that Blake had acted outside his training or any relevant law. The Crown Prosecution Service defended the decision to bring Blake to trial, citing a thorough consideration of all available evidence.
Around 150 people gathered for a vigil outside the Old Bailey on Monday following Blake’s acquittal, with Mr Kaba’s cousin describing the family as “devastated.” Blake’s former colleague argued that incidents involving police officers should not be dealt with in criminal courts, as such cases were subject to the biases and lack of expertise of jurors. Instead, he advocated a court martial system similar to those used in the military, with panels of legal and subject experts who would be better equipped to judge the appropriateness of police actions.
Mr Kaba, aged 24, had been followed and stopped by police because the car he was driving had supposedly been involved in a previous shooting. After being boxed in by police cars, he attempted to drive his vehicle backwards and forwards in an attempt to escape. Blake claimed that he had believed that Mr Kaba’s vehicle could have killed one of his colleagues, leading him to open fire. Mr Kaba died from a single gunshot wound to the forehead.
The case highlighted existing tensions between the police and black communities in the UK, as well as raising concerns about how to build trust among these communities. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged this issue while emphasizing the need to respect the due process of law.
A former colleague of Metropolitan Police firearms officer Martyn Blake, who was cleared of murdering Chris Kaba, has claimed that Blake should never have faced trial in the first place. Blake shot Mr Kaba during a vehicle stop in September 2022, despite Mr Kaba not carrying a gun. The unnamed colleague defended Blake, stating that no evidence existed indicating that Blake had acted outside his training or any relevant law. The Crown Prosecution Service defended the decision to bring Blake to trial, citing a thorough consideration of all available evidence.
Around 150 people gathered for a vigil outside the Old Bailey on Monday following Blake’s acquittal, with Mr Kaba’s cousin describing the family as “devastated.” Blake’s former colleague argued that incidents involving police officers should not be dealt with in criminal courts, as such cases were subject to the biases and lack of expertise of jurors. Instead, he advocated a court martial system similar to those used in the military, with panels of legal and subject experts who would be better equipped to judge the appropriateness of police actions.
Mr Kaba, aged 24, had been followed and stopped by police because the car he was driving had supposedly been involved in a previous shooting. After being boxed in by police cars, he attempted to drive his vehicle backwards and forwards in an attempt to escape. Blake claimed that he had believed that Mr Kaba’s vehicle could have killed one of his colleagues, leading him to open fire. Mr Kaba died from a single gunshot wound to the forehead.
The case highlighted existing tensions between the police and black communities in the UK, as well as raising concerns about how to build trust among these communities. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood acknowledged this issue while emphasizing the need to respect the due process of law
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
