Copper guilty of Manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson

bilkobear said:
I actually find this quite shocking.
You don't expect this from a cop in the UK.
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Unfortunately he is not the only one at the moment.

Whats even more worrying is that a lot of them seem to have less than glorious records whilst in the police.

No idea how they keep the job.
 
This is horrific.

The two paragraphs that stand out for me are in red below.

On the BBC website, it says the officer feared for the lives of him and his colleague so I would ask what Atkinson was doing for the officer to react this way.

It also says on the BBC website that to taser someone for 33 seconds you have to override the system.

What guidelines are there for an officer using an electric stun gun and is there any justification for overriding the system?

A police officer has been convicted of the manslaughter of the former professional footballer Dalian Atkinson, after firing an electric stun gun into him for 33 seconds and kicking him twice in the head as he lay on the ground.

He had gone to his childhood home in Meadow Close, which he had bought with the money he made from being a professional footballer, for his father Ernest. Shortly after 1.30am, a neighbour called the police because Atkinson, 48, was causing a disturbance.
 
Why on earth is a policeman kicking a suspect in the head?

Disgusting.

And probably more than manslaughter.

I could get behind genuine protests against this kind of behaviour.

It erodes the trust in British policing and certainly isn’t policing by consent.
 
Steve Snedden said:
Why on earth is a policeman kicking a suspect in the head?

Disgusting.

And probably more than manslaughter.

I could get behind genuine protests against this kind of behaviour.

It erodes the trust in British policing and certainly isn’t policing by consent.
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I’d suggest this is the excuse the “defunders” aka anarchists, will be using at the protests.
I’d only say “one bad apple?”
 
BunsenHoneydew said:
That's the bit I don't understand. I've not followed the case closely - if anyone has, and can answer why this wasn't murder rather than manslaughter, I'd be all ears.
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Murder requires intent to kill, I can't say for sure but I'd imagine the jury didn't feel that was proved beyond reasonable doubt.
 
tazzabear said:
I’d suggest this is the excuse the “defunders” aka anarchists, will be using at the protests.
I’d only say “one bad apple?”
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Too many “one bad apples” and the ones that actually get prosecuted are the rarest ones.
This one should have been done for murder may not have been intent to kill from start but if you or me kicks someone twice in head, hard enough to leave the imprints of our laces in his head - we’re getting life!
 
I remember the reporting at the time and it was basically just stated as fact that Atkinson was out of control, probably on a drugs bender and that he was savagely lashing out, needing restrained and that the taser was not effective in stopping him. Looks like the police were controlling the narrative as a collective from the outset.
 
I wasn’t even aware of this case until now, absolutely horrific. World wide reaction to the murder of George Floyd in the states, a convicted violent drug addict (doesn’t justify his death before anyone jumps on that)
Capitalised and exploited to the max to suit political and social agendas here in the UK and yet a serving on duty thug killed a a young man with mental health issues right on our own door step and its all so low key. I’m genuinely amazed at that.
Convicted for manslaughter I believe and not murder! How can a police officer, trained in restraint and law and ina position of power and trust get away with a reduced conviction for such a brutal and violent attack resulting in someone’s death.
 
GazzaLegemd said:
I wasn’t even aware of this case until now, absolutely horrific. World wide reaction to the murder of George Floyd in the states, a convicted violent drug addict (doesn’t justify his death before anyone jumps on that)
Capitalised and exploited to the max to suit political and social agendas here in the UK and yet a serving on duty thug killed a a young man with mental health issues right on our own door step and its all so low key. I’m genuinely amazed at that.
Convicted for manslaughter I believe and not murder! How can a police officer, trained in restraint and law and ina position of power and trust get away with a reduced conviction for such a brutal and violent attack resulting in someone’s death.
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With having zero understanding of the intricacies of the law I guess it is because murder has a certain defintion which I doubt this scumbag met so a charge of manslaughter would more likely get an outcome.
 
The Golden God said:
With having zero understanding of the intricacies of the law I guess it is because murder has a certain defintion which I doubt this scumbag met so a charge of manslaughter would more likely get an outcome.
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You are right of course mate. The law and how it is applied is unfortunately rarely about delivering a just outcome. The book “The Secret Barrister” is an absolutely terrifying read if the stories within are true.
 
GazzaLegemd said:
I wasn’t even aware of this case until now, absolutely horrific. World wide reaction to the murder of George Floyd in the states, a convicted violent drug addict (doesn’t justify his death before anyone jumps on that)
Capitalised and exploited to the max to suit political and social agendas here in the UK and yet a serving on duty thug killed a a young man with mental health issues right on our own door step and its all so low key. I’m genuinely amazed at that.
Convicted for manslaughter I believe and not murder! How can a police officer, trained in restraint and law and ina position of power and trust get away with a reduced conviction for such a brutal and violent attack resulting in someone’s death.
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Maybe because that's not what happened? Police were called because Atikinson was going crazy. In trying to subdue him the cops went heavier handed than they should have done and tragically the fella died. There's no pre meditation, he didn't go out looking for a black man to kill. Manslaughter is exactely what it is.
 
Sasa5Papac said:
Maybe because that's not what happened? Police were called because Atikinson was going crazy. In trying to subdue him the cops went heavier handed than they should have done and tragically the fella died. There's no pre meditation, he didn't go out looking for a black man to kill. Manslaughter is exactely what it is.
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He kicked a bloke on the ground in the head - twice - so hard he left the imprint of his laces in Atkinson’s head. You do that in a street fight you’d get life.
All Cops May Not Be Bastards but this one was.
 
Disgusting. To be lying motionless yet got kicked twice in the head. The cop is a scumbag and will get what's coming to him.
 
Sasa5Papac said:
It wasn't a street fight though was it? You can't compare apples with oranges and expect the same outcome.
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No this was worse than a street fight - a mentally ill man rendered incapable by a taser used 6 times longer than allowed was kicked to death by another whose job it was to help him.
Mate the apple is rotten!
 
GazzaLegemd said:
I wasn’t even aware of this case until now, absolutely horrific. World wide reaction to the murder of George Floyd in the states, a convicted violent drug addict (doesn’t justify his death before anyone jumps on that)
Capitalised and exploited to the max to suit political and social agendas here in the UK and yet a serving on duty thug killed a a young man with mental health issues right on our own door step and its all so low key. I’m genuinely amazed at that.
Convicted for manslaughter I believe and not murder! How can a police officer, trained in restraint and law and ina position of power and trust get away with a reduced conviction for such a brutal and violent attack resulting in someone’s death.
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From the Guardian

“The judge said the jury should acquit Monk of murder if they were “not sure that Mr Monk intended to kill Mr Atkinson or intended to cause him really serious injury”. The judge said they should convict the officer of manslaughter “if you are sure that that force was an act which any reasonable person would realise was bound to subject another human being to the risk of physical harm”.”

www.theguardian.com

Dalian Atkinsonâs family say five-year wait for trial was âunacceptableâ

Police officer Benjamin Monk convicted of manslaughter of former footballer during disturbance in 2016
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
I’ve absolutely no doubt you know more about the case than me mate. On the fact the victim was black, I have not seen nor read anything to suggest this was racially motivated, I used the reference to George Floyd as i feel the whole racial aspect of that case has been exploited in full ever since, especially given it happened in another country and I was surprised this case wasn’t highlighted more but that’s another argument all together.

From what I heard today on this case, witnesses stated the victim was lying still on the ground when the officer kicked him twice on the head. with such force he left an imprint of his police issue boot laces on his head.

For a police officer who’s job for which he is trained is to protect the public (including the offender)
I think he is nothing less than a murdering, evil bastard.
I would bet 99% of the hard working decent cops out there would agree.
This wasn’t in any way reasonable force and I’m 100% sure, delivering a kick full force to someone’s head while they are lying prone on the ground may not be judged to be pre meditated but given he wasn’t in fear of his own life it is safe to assume it was a very deliberate act and was always likely to cause serious injury or death.

Edited to add, this post is in response to Sasa5Papac post #39
 
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Cop was out of control and killed him.

Using a taser as a weapon is incredibly tolerated. Shameful it's taken this long to get to court.
 
Gerrard the Great said:
No this was worse than a street fight - a mentally ill man rendered incapable by a taser used 6 times longer than allowed was kicked to death by another whose job it was to help him.
Mate the apple is rotten!
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I'm not going to judge without knowing the ins and outs. Atkinson didn't deserve what he got but he was no angel in this scenario either from what's reported.
 
No allegedly - he has been convicted the only thing in contention was his intent. That cop is a killer - fact!
I believe the jury made a mistake - he may not have had intent to kill but with 2 kicks he had intent to do serious harm so it should have been murder. Some on jury must have felt cops should be judged to a different standard as you obviously do.
I believe cops should be held to a higher standard
 
Gerrard the Great said:
No allegedly - he has been convicted the only thing in contention was his intent. That cop is a killer - fact!
I believe the jury made a mistake - he may not have had intent to kill but with 2 kicks he had intent to do serious harm so it should have been murder. Some on jury must have felt cops should be judged to a different standard as you obviously do.
I believe cops should be held to a higher standard
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Aye thats what I said. I'd be curious to hear how you would have dealt with the situation. Someone going through a mental health episode lashing out isn't easy to control
 
I used to do the door of my nightclub and going in with aggression first (which witnesses say this officer did) always produced the worst outcome.
Jaw jaw before war war.
Dalian according to witnesses should no violence to persons until the cop tried to restrain him. He kicked a door and died for it
 
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