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Hillsborough inquests: Jury to consider if victims 'unlawfully killed' Hillsborough inquests: Jury to consider if victims 'unlawfully killed'
(about 4 hours later)
The jury at the Hillsborough inquests has been told one of its options is to consider whether the 96 victims of the disaster were unlawfully killed.The jury at the Hillsborough inquests has been told one of its options is to consider whether the 96 victims of the disaster were unlawfully killed.
The coroner has begun summing up nearly two years' evidence into the disaster. To do so, the jury would have to be sure match commander David Duckenfield was responsible for their manslaughter by gross negligence, the coroner said.
Sir John Goldring also told the jury it would be asked if "error or omission" by emergency services, match planners, football supporters and stadium design contributed to the 1989 disaster. Sir John Goldring has begun summing up nearly two years' evidence into the disaster at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final.
He said the question of how the 96 died was "the most controversial". He said the question of how the fans died was "the most controversial".
There are certain words such as "crime" the jury should not use, he added. However, he said words such as "failure", "inappropriate" and "inadequate" could be used. In considering Mr Duckenfield's conduct, Sir John asked the jury to examine his decision at 2.52pm when he ordered the opening of Gate C, allowing about 2,000 fans to flood into "relatively full" central pens behind the goal on Leppings Lane.
Over the next three weeks, the coroner will review evidence on how 96 Liverpool fans died at the FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield. Sir John said the jury had heard evidence that, in broad terms, Mr Duckenfield had said that the gate or gates had been forced and did not say the police had ordered the gates to be opened - what Mr Duckenfield had called a "lie of omission".
The jury is due to retire to consider its verdicts on 22 February. He asked the jury to decide whether Mr Duckenfield had lied, and "if you are sure he did lie, you have to ask yourselves 'why?'"
The issue of unlawful killing is one of 14 questions the jury will have to answer which will also include whether opportunities were lost to save lives. Was it a result of panic or fear of public disorder, he said. Or was it because Mr Duckenfield knew his actions beforehand were responsible for the crushing in the pens, he asked the jury.
Sir John has called more than 500 witnesses including survivors, police and medical experts during the inquests, which began on 31 March 2014. To find the fans were unlawfully killed and that Mr Duckenfield was responsible, Sir John told the jury they must answer four key questions:
Unless they are sure on all the four questions they should not conclude the fans were unlawfully killed, jurors were told.
Sir John also told the jury that the inquests are not a trial and they cannot find anybody guilty of a criminal offence.
The issue of unlawful killing is one of 14 questions the jury will have to answer which will also include whether opportunities were lost to save lives on the day of the disaster, 15 April 1989.
Questions the Hillsborough jury need to answer
The coroner also told the jury it would be asked if "error or omission" by emergency services, match planners, football supporters and stadium design contributed to the deaths.
There are certain words such as "crime" the jury should not use in responding to the questions, Sir John said. However, he said words such as "failure", "inappropriate" and "inadequate" could be used.
The jury will also be asked to consider whether any behaviour on the part of football supporters caused or contributed to the "dangerous situation" that developed as fans arrived at the stadium's Leppings Lane turnstiles.
Over the next three weeks, the coroner will review 21 months of evidence before sending the jury out to consider its verdicts on 22 February.
Sir John has called more than 500 witnesses including survivors, police and medical experts since the inquests began on 31 March 2014.
They are already the longest in English legal history.They are already the longest in English legal history.
Questions for the Hillsborough jury to consider Who were the 96 victims?