Blair Peach murderer esapes justice

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Probably just as well you aren't a prosecution lawyer, someone who is late returning a library book would end up in front of a firing squad.

Anyway this was being discussed at work today and someone who has been involved with some pretty heated incidents came up with (IMO) a very relevant point.

In the heat of the moment, where things are all going very, very wrong all around you it might be entirely possible the person responsible might not have even known they struck the fatal blow. From seeing the video footage and reading the accounts Peach didn't drop straight away and may well have stumbled away after being hit with the person responsible for the injury not knowing the extent of his injuries.

To compare the brutal death of an innocent man with the same seriousness as a late library book is crass in the extreme. I suspect that is how the police officer who beat the crap out of him thirty-one years ago thinks as well.

It comes to something, when a police officer uses the excuse that he beat so many people round the head that day, it is hard to remember which ones and how many.

Way to wilfully misunderstand a post Flyboy. Derek's criticism was of your totalitarian instincts, not the nature of the offence committed against Blair Peach.

But I'm quite sure you knew that.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Flyboy

It comes to something, when a police officer uses the excuse that he beat so many people round the head that day, it is hard to remember which ones and how many.

Or maybe, just maybe in the heat of the moment when fireworks, bottles and anything else is flying about one of the cops wung his baton/radio/lead filled cosh/crowbar and caught Peach on the head causing him to stumble away.

Watch pretty much any footage of riots and you'll see at times the Police having to get the batons out and start hitting people, they don't have time to ask for names and addresses afterwards.

Oh and you still haven't answered this part of my earlier question.

How would you deal with protests like G20, G8, May Day, Poll Tax etc. where there are hard core activists intent on causing havoc? Let them away with it and mop up afterwards or actually deal with things there and then and accept that very occasionally bad things might happen.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Or maybe, just maybe in the heat of the moment when fireworks, bottles and anything else is flying about one of the cops wung his baton/radio/lead filled cosh/crowbar and caught Peach on the head causing him to stumble away.

Or just maybe Peach slipped and fell. Ahh lead filled cosh

They include all the detailed evidence gathered by police in the weeks and months after Peach was killed. The nature of his injuries led at least one pathologist to conclude Peach's skull was crushed with an unauthorised weapon, such as a lead-weighted cosh or police radio

and not long after

Cass raided lockers at the SPG headquarters he uncovered a stash of unauthorised weapons, including illegal truncheons, knives, two crowbars, a whip, a 3ft wooden stave and a lead-weighted leather stick.
One officer was caught trying to hide a metal cosh, although it was not the weapon that killed Peach. Another officer was found with a collection of Nazi regalia.

Watch pretty much any footage of riots and you'll see at times the Police having to get the batons out and start hitting people, they don't have time to ask for names and addresses afterwards.

But these particular officers had time to say

Clarence Baker, who said he had been warned by a policeman: "You black *******. We are going to get you," ended up in intensive care with a blood clot on the brain.

Tariq Ali, the celebrated Pakistani-born writer and broadcaster, was given a bleeding head

and another witness said

"I have never seen such unrestrained violence against demonstrators... the Special Patrol Group were just running wild."

How anyone could try and stick up for these criminals just because they happen to have a uniform on is beyond me.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/ap...ice-met-report

http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/46954,...ical-protestor

Originally Posted by Derek S

Or maybe, just maybe in the heat of the moment when fireworks, bottles and anything else is flying about one of the cops wung his baton/radio/lead filled cosh/crowbar and caught Peach on the head causing him to stumble away.

Watch pretty much any footage of riots and you'll see at times the Police having to get the batons out and start hitting people, they don't have time to ask for names and addresses afterwards.

Oh and you still haven't answered this part of my earlier question.

yeah the good old heat of the moment. That excuse would fly a long way if it was someone like me trying to use it wouldn't it?

These babylon were vicious thugs and they have got away with it simple as, the way you are defending them Derek shows me the old boys brigade is still alive and well and makes me distrust the Police even more

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Or maybe, just maybe in the heat of the moment when fireworks, bottles and anything else is flying about one of the cops wung his baton/radio/lead filled cosh/crowbar and caught Peach on the head causing him to stumble away.

The "heat of the moment" defence is no excuse at all, especially when so many members of the SPG were nothing more than hired thugs, using the job for an excuse to have a ruck. Not only did the officer who dealt the fatal blow not come forward, five others conspired to hide the truth. I wonder if those illegal weapons, which were recovered from police officers' lockers, could be tested for DNA evidence, but seeing as the investigation is closed, it is unlikely there will be a concerted effort to find out; if the evidence still exists.

Watch pretty much any footage of riots and you'll see at times the Police having to get the batons out and start hitting people, they don't have time to ask for names and addresses afterwards

.

Then perhaps indiscriminate beatings of the general public should be curtailed until those who carry out this summary justice properly trained in how to beat someone to death after they establish their identity, because surely they need to put something on the toe-tag.

Oh and you still haven't answered this part of my earlier question.

Sorry, I assumed such a question was rhetorical, because as you know I have know idea abut how to command a battalion of riot police. But then neither do you, or I assume you would be doing that job yourself. But suffice to say, I would not expect them to be carrying illegal weapons nor to hide their own badge numbers so they cannot be identified after they beat someone on the head with a lead filled cosh.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by zing

These babylon were vicious thugs and they have got away with it simple as, the way you are defending them Derek shows me the old boys brigade is still alive and well and makes me distrust the Police even more

Yep the old boys brigade cause I know so many Met cops from 30 years ago.

The SPG were a law unto themselves, they did carry unauthorised weapons, they were violent and probably dished out more than their fair share of beatings BUT I do not for a second think they went out that day with the express intention of killing someone.

I also think its entirely plausible that whoever dealt the blow that caused his injuries does not know for sure that they were responsible.

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Then perhaps indiscriminate beatings of the general public should be curtailed until those who carry out this summary justice

Yeah that'll work, when people are being attacked just stand back and smile sweetly till they calm down. Back at the G20 riots there was a time when a cop was badly injured by protestors hitting him with a long pole, in response the batons came out. Do you think thats an overreaction?

Originally Posted by Flyboy

I have know idea abut how to command a battalion of riot police.

Thats clear.