UK police officer cleared of murder of Black man

By Sam Tobin

LONDON (Reuters) -A British police officer was acquitted on Monday of the murder of a Black man he shot dead in London two years ago, an incident that led to large protests and anger among the capital's Black community.

Martyn Blake, 40, had pleaded "not guilty" to the murder of Chris Kaba, who was unarmed and died from a single gunshot to the head in south London on Sept. 5, 2022.

Blake had shot Kaba through the windscreen after he tried to drive his car, which had been linked to a reported shooting the previous evening, away from police vehicles that had boxed him in.

The head of London's Metropolitan police force, Mark Rowley, said Blake had made a split-second decision.

"Any fatal use of force understandably prompts huge concern among communities, particularly in Black communities where trust in policing is low," he said. "There remains much for us to do to strengthen confidence in our service."

Blake was acquitted by a jury after a three-week trial at London's Old Bailey court. His suspension from duty will be lifted immediately, the Metropolitan police said.

Kaba's family said in a statement issued by the charity Inquest that they were left with "the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed."

The statement added: "The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn't just a failure for our family, but for all those affected by police violence."

Kaba's death had prompted protests and anger from the capital's Black community, which has long complained of unfair and racist treatment by the Metropolitan Police.

An independent 2023 review into the force found it was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic and unable to police itself.

The decision to charge Blake was unusual: the Independent Office of Police Conduct said it or its predecessor had undertaken 26 investigations into 28 people who died in police shootings since 2013, referring only Blake and one other officer – who was not charged – to prosecutors.

Prosecutor Tom Little told jurors at the start of the trial that Blake's decision to shoot Kaba "was not reasonably justified or justifiable".

Blake, however, said he had thought there was an "imminent threat" to his colleagues and said he had intended to incapacitate Kaba but not kill him.

Inquest said before the start of the trial that 83 people had been fatally shot by the police in England and Wales since 1990, resulting in three prosecutions and no convictions.

"We know that Chris’ death is not an isolated case but part of systemic racism and stereotyping that equates Black men with dangerousness," Inquest's director Deborah Coles said.

Interior minister Yvette Cooper said the case had caused deep concern for communities, the police and the families. She added: "The jury has come to a conclusion ... and it is imperative that is respected and everyone is given the space to process the verdict."

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Additional reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Alex Richardson, Ros Russell and Sharon Singleton)