David Duckenfield faces Hillsborough charges with five others
June 28, 2017 by admin
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Former Ch Supt David Duckenfield faces 95 charges of manslaughter and five other senior figures will be prosecuted over the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
Mr Duckenfield was match commander at the FA Cup semi-final when 96 Liverpool fans were fatally injured in a crush.
Ex-South Yorkshire Police (SYP) Ch Insp Norman Bettison, two officers, a solicitor and a Sheffield Wednesday club secretary also face charges.
The Prime Minister said it would be a day of “mixed emotions” for families.
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Hillsborough Inquests
Ninety-six football fans were fatally injured in a crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989
Last year, new inquests into the 1989 disaster at the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest match in Sheffield concluded the fans had been unlawfully killed.
For legal reasons, Mr Duckenfield cannot be charged over the death of the 96th victim Tony Bland, as he died four years after the disaster, prosecutors said.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must apply to the High Court to lift an order imposed after he was prosecuted privately in 1999, which must be removed before he can be charged.
Sir Norman Bettison, Peter Metcalf, Graham Mackrell, Donald Denton face charges
The full list of individuals and charges are:
- Mr Duckenfield faces manslaughter by gross negligence of 95 men, women and children
- Sir Norman faces four charges of misconduct in a public office relating to alleged lies he told in the aftermath about the culpability of fans
- Graham Mackrell, former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary, will be accused of breaching Health and Safety and Safety at Sports Ground legislation
- Peter Metcalf, who was a solicitor acting for SYP, is charged with perverting the course of Justice, relating to changes to witness statements
- Former Ch Supt Donald Denton and former Det Ch Insp Alan Foster are accused of perverting the course of justice
No organisation will face corporate charges. No-one from the ambulance service will face charges, CPS chief Sue Hemming revealed earlier.
Who were the 96 victims?
Inquests into the disaster at Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium concluded the fans had been unlawfully killed
BBC News profiles of all those who died
The defendants, other than David Duckenfield who now lives in Ferndown in Dorset, will appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 9 August.
Ms Hemming made the announcement to victims’ families at a private meeting in Warrington earlier.
She said: “Following our careful review of the evidence, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge six individuals with criminal offences.
“Criminal proceedings have now commenced and the defendants have a right to a fair trial.”
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Hillsborough Inquests
The scene unfolding at the Leppings Lane terrace where Liverpool fans were standing
The CPS brought charges following referrals from the Operation Resolve (OR) investigation into the causes of the disaster and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) probe.
The IPCC investigated the conduct of both SYP and West Midlands Police (WMP) in the days and weeks afterwards.
Any decision regarding WMP, which was brought in to carry out the original investigation into the conduct of SYP officers, will be made at a later date.
The investigations
- The OR inquiry followed 17,000 lines of inquiry and took 11,000 statements, costing £56.5m
- The IPCC has reviewed 190,000 documents and 23,000 images at a cost of £42m
- A further IPCC file on the conduct of WMP still needs “additional investigative work”
Barry Devonside, whose son Christopher, 18, was killed in the disaster, said: “Everybody applauded when it was announced that the most senior police officer on that particular day will have charges presented to him.”
Evelyn McDonnell Mills, whose brother Peter McDonnell, 21, died, said she was “really happy”, but added she was sad her brother, who campaigned for years, died in the first year of the new inquests and never got to see their conclusion.
Pete Weatherby QC, who represents 22 of the victims’ families, said they had “always known that accountability is the most difficult objective”.
“They remain keen to see the criminal process properly pursued for those who have been charged and given that, the rights of the defendants should be respected.
“They do however hope that the memories of their loved ones and the integrity of the fans who attended Hillsborough will be respected during the process.”
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Hillsborough Inquests
Liverpool fans gathered outside the turnstiles before the match on 15 April 1989
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Theresa May said: “I know from working closely with the families when I was home secretary that this will be a day of mixed emotions for them.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I think we should pay tribute to all of those that spent a great deal of time trying to ensure there was justice for those that died at Hillsborough.”
SYP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said: “Decisions concerning the bringing of criminal charges are rightly for the CPS.
“Given that criminal proceedings are now active, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further for fear of jeopardising this important process in any way.”
Dr Alan Billings, SYP Crime Commissioner, said: “The start of criminal proceedings against these individuals will hopefully lead to a measure of closure for the family members who have experienced a long and traumatic process.”
A spokesman for Sheffield Wednesday said the club had no comment to make.
Mr Duckenfield and Mr Denton’s legal representative Ian Lewis, from JMW Solicitors, said: “In light of the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to commence criminal proceedings against David Duckenfield and Donald Denton, it would be inappropriate for me as their solicitor, or for my clients themselves, to make any comment.”
Mr Metcalf declined to comment.
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Venezuela Helicopter Attack Coup Claim Is Nation’s Latest Crisis
June 28, 2017 by admin
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A stolen police helicopter fired grenades at government buildings in Venezuela overnight in what the country’s president characterized as an attempted coup — a remarkable new flashpoint in a deepening crisis.
The oil-rich nation has been debilitated by months of deadly anti-government protests, a failing economy and shortages of food and medicine.
President Nicolas Maduro blamed the air assault on a rogue police pilot named Oscar Perez, who allegedly escaped the scene and was being hunted by authorities. No one was injured.
“Sooner rather than later, we are going to capture the helicopter and those behind this armed terrorist attack against the institutions of the country,” Maduro said, according to The Associated Press. “They could have caused dozens of deaths.”
However, some of Maduro’s opponents claimed the episode might have been staged to justify the government’s repression of its critics. Opponents accuse the president of being a dictator and of pushing through various measures to consolidate power into his own hands.
It was impossible to immediately verify either side’s claims surrounding Tuesday’s chaotic events.
The government said the helicopter fired 15 shots against the Interior Ministry headquarters during a reception celebrating national journalist’s day, the AP reported.
According to this account, the chopper then flew to the pro-government Supreme Court and fired four grenades.
Inside the court, magistrates were issuing a number of rulings further hemming in Venezuela’s opposition.
Around the same time of the attack, a man identified as Oscar Perez, the police pilot, posted several videos to his Instagram account saying he represented a coalition of military, police and civilian officials opposed to the “criminal” government.
Flanked by four people wearing camouflage jackets, helmets, ski masks and holding what appeared to be assault rifles, he said “this fight is … against the vile government. Against tyranny,” according to a Reuters translation.
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Pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner also appeared on social media.
Local media also linked Perez to 2015 action film “Suspended Death” which he co-produced and starred in as an intelligence agent rescuing a kidnapped businessman, Reuters reported.
The incident capped a chaotic 24 hours for Venezuela, with widespread looting in the coastal city of Maracay on Monday night and punch-ups between national guardsmen and opposition lawmakers who were trying to enter the National Assembly earlier Tuesday.
But the country’s problems run far deeper than the events of this week. Here’s the context:
Why is Venezuela in a mess?
Despite having the world’s largest oil reserves, Venezuela is suffering from a deep recession and hyper-inflation.
Prices rose by 800 percent in 2016, with the International Monetary Fund predicting inflation could hit 2,200 percent by the end of 2017. Meanwhile, the economy shrunk by 18.6 percent last year, according to Reuters.
At the same time, food and medicine shortages are creating a humanitarian emergency. Shoppers, forced to wait in long lines to buy basic supplies, are often met by empty grocery shelves. Hospitals are suffering from acute shortfalls of everything from antibiotics, to basic sanitation equipment like medical gloves and soap.
The current protests were triggered by a Supreme Court decision to strip power from the National Assembly, the opposition-held Congress. This move was widely thought to be aimed at concentrating power in the hands of Maduro’s increasingly unpopular government.
For the past three months, people — from students to housewives and retirees — have taken to the streets to express their outrage, confronting National Guard troops armed with tear gas and water cannons.
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In May, NBC News spoke with Roberto, a 51-year-old Caracas resident who owns his own electrical supplies business. He explained why his fellow Venezuelans were taking to the streets.
“It is common to find people scavenging for food at garbage dumps and everywhere people are eating off garbage cans,” said the father-of-one who spoke on condition that his last name was not used out of fear of government reprisal. “People are starving. You see misery everywhere.”
PHOTOS: In Venezuela, Upheaval Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
He said he sells “20 times less” than he used to and is just living off savings, which he fears may run out soon. Despite being tear gassed at recent demonstrations, he said he will continue to march because he has no choice.
“A lot of people have left the country, those that can have gone overseas. But for those like me that are still here, all we can do is fight,” Roberto said. “We are fighting for free and honest elections, we want to recover democracy.”
Gustavo Arnavat, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told NBC News that these conditions “have produced a political and constitutional crisis that are precipitating the complete collapse of the state.”
“Even former supporters of Hugo Chavez are starting to turn against the government and policies of president Maduro,” he added, referring to the current president’s predecessor and father of “Chavismo” — a Latin American left-wing ideology following the principles of Simon Bolivar who fought for colonial independence from Spain.
What happened to Chavez?
For decades, the country was controlled by a small elite and there was extreme disparity between the rich and poor.
Late president Chavez was elected in 1999 on the promise that he would share Venezuela’s immense oil wealth with the poor — the country derives 95 percent of its export earnings from petrochemicals.
Fueled by high oil prices that went from $10 barrel when he took office, to over $100 when he died of cancer in 2013, Chavez enacted a series of policies aimed at redistributing wealth. His government nationalized parts of the country’s economy — from oil rigs to telecommunications firms to banks — forcing many companies to flee the country.
As the self-proclaimed leader of the “Bolivarian Revolution,” Chavez frequently railed against the U.S. — famously calling President George W. Bush “the devil” during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 2006.
Maduro, Chavez’s hand-picked successor, was elected by a thin margin in 2013, but came to power as oil prices plummeted by more than 50 percent.
“After Chavez’s death, Maduro has just continued and accelerated the authoritarian and totalitarian policies of Chavez,” said Shannon K. O’Neil, senior fellow for Latin American Studies at Council on Foreign Relations.
To analysts, the current emergency can be attributed to the economic crisis brought on by the fall in crude oil prices — which today are trading at about $46 a barrel — coupled with the gradual undermining of the country’s democratic institutions.
“If oil was still at $100 barrel, we would not be having this conversation,” Arnavat said.
PHOTOS: Venezuela’s Opposition Activists Protest in Caracas as Unrest Enters Fourth Week
What Maduro has chosen to do with the country’s reduced income precipitated the current troubles, according to O’Neil.
“There has been a conscious choice by the government to use the money it has to pay off international debts and not to pay for food and medicine,” she added.
How is Maduro hanging onto power?
This week Maduro called for an assembly to rewrite Venezuela’s constitution.
Opposition leaders say this is just a bid to stay in power by putting off regional elections scheduled for this year and a presidential vote in 2018. Opinion polls have suggested the socialists would lose both.
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Maduro has also moved several prominent military officers into positions of power within the government, a move O’Neil says is meant to “solidify their support so they don’t turn on him.”
The government has also steadily curtailed democratic freedoms — restricting the free press, imprisoning opponents and preventing them from running for office.
Why should Americans care?
For one thing, the Venezuelan crisis could spill over its borders and undermine neighboring countries and the continent as a whole.
“One of the successes of the Western Hemisphere is that almost all the countries — Cuba excepted — are democracies. And that’s a model Americans believe in,” said O’Neil.
“That matters to the U.S.,” she added.
A disintegration of the government will also reverberate economically and in terms of security.
“A collapse of the state in Venezuela will produce financial, economic, regional and security risks for the United States,” said Arnavat, who also served as U.S. executive director at the Inter-American Development Bank, the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, during the administration of President Barack Obama.
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There could also be a huge impact on oil prices in the U.S. If the government truly collapses, it could negatively impact oil production in Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC, which in turn could mean higher prices at the pump in the U.S. and worldwide.
There is also a fear that if there is a power vacuum, the country could become a safe harbor for terrorists and drug traffickers — which could have a destabilizing effect in the region and potentially even create a migration crisis in neighboring countries.
“From a humanitarian perspective, and given the presence of several hundred thousand residents in the U.S. of Venezuelan origin, the vast majority of which Iives in Florida, there will be an urgent call for action for the U.S. to step in and provide assistance,” said Arnavat.
What’s the U.S. stance on Venezuela?
The State Department condemned the dissolution of Venezuela’s National Assembly as “a serious setback for democracy” and the Trump administration is looking to put pressure on Maduro by considering stronger economic sanctions.
A group of Republican and Democratic senators also introduced a bill in early May that would provide $10 million in humanitarian aid to the country, require the State Department to coordinate a regional effort to ease the crisis, and ask American intelligence to report on the involvement of government officials in corruption and the drug trade.
PHOTOS: Venezuelans Mount Pressure on Government as Protests Intensify
“It may be tempting to note that the administration has more important domestic and foreign priorities, but if Venezuela collapses, it will become a major priority,” Arnavat said. “And the ability of the U.S., as the world’s and region’s leader, to manage the crisis will establish a precedent and be part of President Trump’s legacy.”
How bad can it get?
“So long as the economic crisis and human suffering remains unabated, and no political solution is reached, things can only get worse,” according to Arnavat.
Dr. Jennifer McCoy, a professor at Georgia State University who specializes in Latin American politics, also said the situation could get “much worse” and warned that “things could spiral very quickly if people don’t see significant electoral change.”
She pointed out that while the country has historically been very peaceful, Venezuelans are very well armed — particularly because of the violent crime wave that hit the country in recent years.
The U.S. Overseas Security Advisory Council, which aims to create effective security communication between American private sector interests worldwide and the State Department, called it “one of the deadliest countries in the world” in its 2017 Crime and Safety Report.
What’s next?
What happens now will depend on the people on the streets, “but also on the military,” McCoy said.
She added that Maduro’s call for a constitutional rewrite “looks like a gambit by the president to calm the current unrest in the streets and postpone elections that he fears he will lose.”
“The next step will depend on how big of an outcry there is in Venezuela and if the military continues to support the president or if there is international outcry.”
CFR’s O’Neil warned that a spiral downward could come swiftly.
“It’s a slow moving crisis — which can last longer than you think, but when they end, they end quickly,” she said.
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