LONDON (AFP) - The police commander at the Hillsborough football stadium disaster faces a retrial after a jury on Wednesday (April 3) - failed to reach a verdict over his role in the deaths of 95 Liverpool fans.
Nearly 30 years to the day after the tragedy in the northern city of Sheffield, the judge in the trial of retired chief superintendent David Duckenfield discharged jurors who could not decide on 95 counts of gross negligence manslaughter.
The match-day police chief had pleaded not guilty at the 10-week trial to culpability for the fatal crush at an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989.
There is no manslaughter charge over the death of supporter Anthony Bland, as he died almost four years later and under the law in 1989 it is now "out of time" to be prosecuted.
However, the jurors at Preston Crown Court in north-west England did convict a former Sheffield Wednesday club official for failing to renew the stadium's safety certificate.
The jury, comprising six men and six women, had entered their eighth day of deliberations when they found Graham Mackrell, 69, guilty.
But they remained deadlocked over 74-year-old Duckenfield.
Â
Â
Â
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), England's state prosecutors, has indicated it will seek his retrial.
In court it alleged Duckenfield had the "ultimate responsibility" for allowing the crush to occur.
But the defence argued the case was "breathtakingly unfair" and said the defendant had "tried to do the right thing".
Dozens of relatives of the victims who had gathered in Liverpool - 40km away - gasped as the jury foreman told the court they could not reach a unanimous decision on Duckenfield.
There were cheers as the guilty verdict for Mackrell was announced.
Victims' families fought a long campaign for events surrounding the disaster to be re-investigated, with the CPS announcing the decision to press charges in June 2017.
The crush was Britain's worst sports stadium tragedy.
The final memorial at Liverpool's Anfield stadium for the victims was held in 2016, 27 years to the day since the disaster took place.
Families of the deceased unanimously agreed the service would be the last public event at Anfield in memory of the supporters who died.
Football: Tampines Rovers thrash Home United 5-1 to top
Football: Atletico title bid suffers with defeat at Betis in Morata debut Alvaro Morata made his debut for Atletico after completing a loan move from Chelsea, but it was another former Real
Football news - Atletico title bid suffers with defeat at
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel - Football News Crystal Palace piled further pressure on Leicester City manager Claude Puel on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 Premier League win over his team, who have now gone seven games without a victory. Two goals from Wilfried Zaha, another from Michy Batshuayi and a penalty from Luka
Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel
Man City are champions LIVE: Latest reaction as Liverpool finish second. Manchester City are champions after beating Brighton to pip Liverpool in a thrilling title race - latest updates here
Brighton and Hove Albion vs Manchester City - msn.com
April 27 (Reuters) - Everton's hopes of finishing in seventh and a potential Europa League qualification spot suffered a blow as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in
Everton held to goalless draw at Palace - Football match
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2018-19, with Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling winning the Young Player of the Year award.
Virgil van Dijk and Vivianne Miedema named PFA players of the
Atletico's heaviest defeat of the season means they miss the chance to mathematically guarantee finishing second in La Liga ahead of neighbours Real Madrid. Atletico slump to biggest defeat of
Atletico Madrid slump to biggest defeat of season against
Youngest local SPL Coach, 33, unfazed. New Balestier Khalsa coach Khidhir Khamis was selected from eight candidates, half of them foreigners, who applied for the post. He is the youngest head
Youngest local SPL Coach, 33, unfazed - theworldnews.net
Southampton 1-3 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's side return to top of Premier League after tough test at St Mary's as Liverpool reclaimed top spot in the Premier League by coming from behind to beat
Liverpool back above Man City at the top of the league
Cesc Fabregas completes move to Monaco from Chelsea
Former Real Madrid striker Predrag Mijatovic criticised Gareth Bale for lacking leadership qualities and hit out at coach Santiago Solari after the club's La Liga title ambitions were dented by
Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Madrid's leader, says
Liverpool pulled off one of the most stunning fightbacks in Champions League history on Tuesday as Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum both scored twice in a 4-0 victory over Barcelona.
Five great Champions League comebacks- The New Indian Express
0 comments:
Post a Comment