UK: Family seeks judicial review of inquest open verdict:
01 August 2002
The family of Harry Stanley, a 46-year old Scottish painter and decorator who was shot dead by armed police as he walked to his home in September 1999, are seeking a judicial review of an inquest's open verdict ruling. The family believe that coroner did not allow the jury to consider a verdict of unlawful killing and that the inquest also saw an attempt to smear him, when details of long-spent criminal convictions were released in an attempt to undermine his case. Harry was shot dead by armed police after he left the Alexandra public house in Hackney, when they received information that he was an "Irish terrorist" carrying a shotgun in a plastic carrier bag. In fact the "shotgun" was a table leg that his brother had repaired for him. Having recently been released from hospital after an operation, Harry had difficulty in raising his arms above his waist and was unable to surrender (even if warnings were given), resulting in him being shot in the head by Inspector Neil Sharman (see Statewatch vol 10 no 2, 6, vol 11 no 3 & 4).