POLICE 'marksmen'
who shot dead Andrew Kernan outside his home will not face criminal charges.
The inevitable decision was given today and as people here expected the Police
would not be blamed. Andrew was shot dead after 44 Officers in attendance at
the incident botched the operation so much that Andrew, a mentally ill man was
sprayed with CS gas in his home then shot in the street outside as he wielded
a samurai sword. Andrew, suffering from a long tern mental illness, waited
over an hour for health workers trained in such incidents to arrive; allegedly
they were at a chip shop and were delayed.
Police policing Police
The Crown Prosecution Service today (Wednesday, May 7) ruled against taking action
after Manchester Police Force were given the task of investigating their colleagues
at Merseyside. Why should the Police be allowed to judge themselves in effect?,
this antiquated hang up should be discarded and the Police subject to a level
playing field when it comes to investigations.
"decision a disgrace"
Andrew's mother, Marie Kernan, branded the decision a disgrace and said she
would not give up her fight for justice.
Mother Imprisoned in Police Car
Mrs Kernan said: "I have waited a long time for this decision and hoped
that justice would finally be done. But they have basically said it is okay to
shoot and kill an innocent person. Andrew was left for dead like an animal and
the people who did it should be made to pay for what they did." She also spoke
out on local radio and accused Merseyside Police of imprisoning her whilst
Andrew was becoming more agitated, the Police kept her in a locked car,
yet deny she asked to be let out to try to negotiate with her son. Mrs
Kernan was the one person who may well have calmed Andrew down. The Police
deny that she asked them to be let out of the Police Car, Mrs Kernan says
she did make the officer(s) aware who kept her in a locked car with no
legal right to do so. Who do YOU believe?
CPS sticking up for the police
Mrs Kernan also said that "The CPS (crown prosecution service) are
going to stick up for the Police, but they are not going to stick up for me"
Mrs Kernan is right; the CPS will always back the Police in these cases.
She has been treated like a criminal herself, a grieving mother who never
done anyone any harm.
Mrs Kernan found out about the CPS decision in a fax
sent to the offices of her solicitor Rex Makin. Mr Makin said "I think
it is outrageous and follows an extended and drawn-out procedure to which
this was the likely outcome. Now we will have to go through a complicated
inquest which could last for weeks. In the meantime Marie Kernan is greatly
distressed and indignant about the death of her son who she believes was shot
unjustifiably."
Inquest Decision vital
After the CPS decision, the Liverpool Coroner Andrew Rebello will soon set a
date for the opening of the inquest on Andrew Kernan. This stage is vital as the
coroners Inquest decision will be the foundation stone of any future struggle
by Mrs Kernan. In the case of the Hillsborough disaster, it was the original
inquest by the coroner which dashed the hopes of any immediate hope of Justice.
The coroner was thought to have been pressured to make the decision he made to
favour the Police and Government.
What we see once again in this case, is the lack of support for Mrs Kernan,
and indeed any working class people who are caught up in miscarriages of Justice.
We also see the dismal policing which led to a mentally ill man being tackled as
if he was a major armed gangster or even a terrorist. How many Police officers
that night had a level of maturity and consideration for the mentally Ill? How
may realised that Andrew was suffering from mental illness? Andrew Kernan
needed help but ended up being shot "In self defence" according to the Police.
If 44 Police can attend such an incident, and that's the best they can
collectively respond with, God help us all. The subsequent investigation
is simply a cover up. Most of us know that. It was always the fear of people
that an armed Police Force here would simply lead to innocent people being
killed. Many questions will need to be asked, but as ever, whether we get
the answers is something which will need to be fought for. To leave Mrs
Kernan to struggle on alone is something the community of Liverpool
should not let happen.
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