[Football] Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield will go on trial *** Not Guilty ***

[Iggle Piggle]

you (as an 'able bodied person') would have to place yourself at the scene during the incident, and believe that you yourself would feel personally physically in danger by the actions of the defendant.

Given that context, I had to say no. I've been in pubs plenty of times when its gone off between a couple of pissheads. Would I feel in any danger or personally threatened ? Nope, I'd probably just watch, but stay out of it. They're not coming after me are they. The rest of the jury agreed, so he got off.

I find that a bit subjective and a bit surprised from a legal perspective. For instance, One of more entertaining nights from my youth was when it all kicked off in the King and Queen. I didn't at any point feel threatened, in fact I thought it was great. I'm sure any regulars from a Yates's wine Lodge would say the same. My old man on the other hand feels threatened if the music is too loud in a boozer. I just find it odd when feelings are brought into it - We are all wired differently.

 

[Easy 10]

I find that a bit subjective and a bit surprised from a legal perspective. For instance, One of more entertaining nights from my youth was when it all kicked off in the King and Queen. I didn't at any point feel threatened, in fact I thought it was great. I'm sure any regulars from a Yates's wine Lodge would say the same. My old man on the other hand feels threatened if the music is too loud in a boozer. I just find it odd when feelings are bought into it - We are all wired differently.

Honestly I was surprised too, because without being given that specific guidance, I'd have found him guilty as charged. But because of that, I couldn't. You also have to imagine yourself as an 'able bodied person' - so if a jurer is a 71 year old woman in a wheelchair, she has to somehow put that to one side and imagine herself there as someone she's not.

We actually asked for clarification on this during our deliberating, but that guidance was reaffirmed to us. Frankly, given that caveat, I'm surprised anyone would ever be successfully convicted of affray.

 

[Ernest]

To face a retrial starting in October

 

[ManOfSussex]

Not guilty - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50592077

 

[Titanic]

Hillsborough police chief cleared of manslaughter

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50592077

Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield has been found not guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans in the 1989 disaster.

Former South Yorkshire Police Ch Supt Duckenfield, 75, was cleared after a seven-week retrial at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Duckenfield, now of Ferndown, Dorset, was in charge of the FA Cup semi-final at which 96 Liverpool fans died.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

It would have been a tough call to blame one man for the loss of so many people when there were so many other contributory factors and others also at fault. I could never understand why Hillsborough continued to be used by the fa at a time where more suitable, safe venues were becoming available. Fences penning fans in with no hope of escape. Health and safety came far too late for so many.

Doesn’t give the relatives much in terms of closure though. I feel for them.

 

[Official Old Man]

Words fail me. Going to be some banners I expect on Saturday.

 

[vegster]

It's always a high bar when it comes to nailing a copper for manslaughter/murder. Despite the hundreds of deaths in custody and while being " restrained " it's almost impossible to get any sort of guilty verdict against them. Even in the Ian Tomlinson case the officer effectively got away scot free despite all the evidence to the contrary. I think the police do have a difficult job sometimes but it is obscene that whatever happens they know they are virtually fire proof if a case ever makes it to court.

 

[Ernest]

This leaves the sore still festering and it will be forever , so unlawfully killed say the inquest but nobody culpable in the court

 

[rippleman]

"But the jury accepted the defence case that the 75 year old was a target of blame who was unfairly singled out for prosecution."

Really? He was the matchday commander; the blame lies with him.

I feel so very sorry for the families who have seen the man responsible for the death of their loved ones walk away scot free.

 

[rippleman]

It's always a high bar when it comes to nailing a copper for manslaughter/murder. Despite the hundreds of deaths in custody and while being " restrained " it's almost impossible to get any sort of guilty verdict against them. Even in the Ian Tomlinson case the officer effectively got away scot free despite all the evidence to the contrary. I think the police do have a difficult job sometimes but it is obscene that whatever happens they know they are virtually fire proof if a case ever makes it to court.

And the police moan that the public has no trust / faith in them. I wonder why that might be?

 

[NooBHA]

It's not the end of it though.

Those families won't give up. They will go after him on Private Prosecutions - There is no way that they will let it rest now after all of these years. Part of me thinks they are quite right to do so but part of me thinks, this guy might die in a few years and they might just put themselves through even more grief for nothing.

It would have been better if Duckenfield was already dead because I think that would have been an end to it and they could have found him Guilty Posthumously . They were never going to find him Guilty whilst he is still alive.

It's the same with the Bloody Sunday Deaths. No one will every be convicted their either whilst they are still alive. The victims are on a ''hiding to nothing'' there as well.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

What a shame, the fight for justice goes on, still no closure for the families.

 

[nicko31]

Tough day for the families again, but putting the blame on one individual? There were many too blame, but that's not a debate for here

 

[Jim D]

Tough day for the families again, but putting the blame on one individual? There were many too blame, but that's not a debate for here

That's about it. I doubt that any jury would convict someone in a comms room for the deaths 95 people. All those being charged should have been in the dock.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Tough day for the families again, but putting the blame on one individual? There were many too blame, but that's not a debate for here

Totally agree in every respect. I wonder if David Duckenfield has actually been "punished" enough by having to go through all this, when it's possibly just scapegoating.

And that does not take away from the horror of the events of the day and what the families have had to cope with"

 

[Hastings gull]

Totally agree in every respect. I wonder if David Duckenfield has actually been "punished" enough by having to go through all this, when it's possibly just scapegoating.

And that does not take away from the horror of the events of the day and what the families have had to cope with"

Whilst I fully understand the families desire for justice, i do also suspect that it might be revenge, as he is the scapegoat. Of course he was in charge on the day, but questions were and still are asked of many others whose failings contributed to the tragedy, not the lest of the suitably of what was then a decrepit stadium by all accounts. I recall a mate on jury service telling me that the jury and the whole court were informed of some truly dreadful acts allegedly perpetrated by the defendant, and it was all so utterly repulsive that it was very hard not to turn your anger on to the person accused, who was standing there for all to see. After that, it made it so much harder for the person to be given a fair trial, as the desire for revenge had to be so held back. I am not necessarily blaming the families -their agony just goes on and on - but it is also paramount that justice is done, and not revenge.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Whilst I fully understand the families desire for justice, i do also suspect that it might be revenge, as he is the scapegoat. Of course he was in charge on the day, but questions were and still are asked of many others whose failings contributed to the tragedy, not the lest of the suitably of what was then a decrepit stadium by all accounts. I recall a mate on jury service telling me that the jury and the whole court were informed of some truly dreadful acts allegedly perpetrated by the defendant, and it was all so utterly repulsive that it was very hard not to turn your anger on to the person accused, who was standing there for all to see. After that, it made it so much harder for the person to be given a fair trial, as the desire for revenge had to be so held back. I am not necessarily blaming the families -their agony just goes on and on - but it is also paramount that justice is done, and not revenge.

Mrs DiS actually used the word revenge in conversation earlier on.

But different members of the group might need or want different things though - from closure to revenge.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

And the police moan that the public has no trust / faith in them. I wonder why that might be?

To be fair to them, the police have been transformed since then. I remember being fairly mildly but surprisingly assaulted, then fairly outrageously abused and threatened by a uniformed policeman in the 70s (my offence was waving to a mate across a street while being in the possession of spikey hair, drainpipes, brothel crepers and a bit of eye liner). Would never happen today. Different times. My faith in the police has improved hugely over the years.

 

[Hastings gull]

Mrs DiS actually used the word revenge in conversation earlier on.

But different members of the group might need or want different things though - from closure to revenge.

Yes, of course that could well be true.