Not-guilty jury verdict in the murder trial of Met firearms officer who killed Chris Kaba

On October 21, 2024, at the Old Bailey, a firearms officer from the Metropolitan Police was acquitted of murdering Chris Kaba.

On September 5, 2022, in Streatham, London, 24-year-old Chris Kaba, a Black man, was shot and killed by Martyn Blake, a firearms officer with the Metropolitan Police. At the time of the incident, Chris was not carrying any weapons.

On September 5, 2022, the Metropolitan Police stopped the car Chris was driving, suspecting it was connected to a shooting that had occurred the night before in Brixton. The vehicle was neither registered to Chris nor reported as stolen.

The officers were unaware of who was behind the wheel. Chris had no weapons on him and kept his hands where they could be seen on the steering wheel. Blake hurriedly exited his vehicle and, within moments, fired a shot at Chris's head.

In court, Martyn Blake reported seeing Chris as a “young and fit Black man.” The prosecution contended that the armed officer made the quick decision to fire while the car was stopped and blocked in from behind, posing no danger to anyone since the other officers were not close by.

They also claimed that Martyn Blake intentionally provided misleading and exaggerated information to fabricate a sense of threat that wasn't really there at the time he chose to shoot Chris.

On September 20, 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service accused Martyn Blake of Chris' murder. Throughout the proceedings, the defense did not submit any requests claiming there was no case against him. Today, the jury at The Old Bailey delivered a verdict of not guilty.

After the jury announced their decision, Chris' family released a statement saying, “We are heartbroken today. The verdict of not guilty fills us with a profound sense of injustice, compounding the immense grief we have endured since Chris’ tragic death."

No family should have to bear the unbearable sorrow that we have experienced. Chris was taken from us, and this decision makes it clear that his life – along with many others like his – is undervalued by the system. Our son deserved so much more.

Martyn Blake's exoneration represents not only a setback for our family but also for everyone impacted by police brutality.

Even with this ruling, we refuse to be quiet. We sincerely thank everyone who supported us and advocated for what is right. Our battle for Chris, for fairness, and for meaningful change will persist. Chris's life was important, and nothing can diminish that truth for us.

Temi Mwale and Kayza Rose, representatives of the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign, expressed their deep sorrow, stating, “Today is a heartbreaking moment for the Kaba family, our community, and the entire country. Martyn Blake's acquittal serves as a painful reminder that our lives hold little worth in the eyes of this system.”

The struggle for accountability, justice, and racial fairness has been ongoing for many years, and we pay tribute to everyone who has played a part in this effort. Even with the verdict announced today, our dedication is as strong as ever. For the Kaba family, seeking justice has always gone beyond just securing a conviction; it's about making lasting changes in the system, a battle we are determined to continue as part of our mission.

This result highlights the troubling truth that police can take lives without facing repercussions. True safety is impossible when law enforcement can act without accountability. We support the families who have lost loved ones before Chris and continue to seek justice. This decision is not the conclusion – it only fuels our determination. Now is the moment to come together and push for a future where justice and accountability are standard, and everyone is held to the same legal standards.

Genuine justice for our community should extend beyond just the criminal justice system. It needs to provide actual restoration, healing, and meaningful change that lasts.

"May Chris Kaba rest in peace."

Deborah Coles, the Director of INQUEST, expressed her concern: “It's hard to align the verdict with the evidence presented during the trial, especially considering the disturbing fact that an unarmed Black man was shot in the head.”

Our findings show that when police officers take a life, they often act as if they are above legal accountability. It's essential that this ruling is not used by police advocates to weaken efforts to hold law enforcement responsible for their actions.

It's clear that Chris's death isn't just a singular incident; it's a symptom of the broader issues of systemic racism and stereotypes that associate Black men with being a threat. For many years, Black men have been disproportionately affected by police violence.

Yet, the sentencing of a single police officer won't put an end to the deep-rooted violence, racism, and misogyny that are still prevalent within police culture and operations.

True justice and accountability occur when the harmful effects of policing come to an end. To make this happen, we need to quickly shift funding from the police force to support our communities.

Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish from Hickman and Rose, who are representing the family, stated: "In this situation, the IOPC has once more neglected to consider the officers involved in the death as suspects right from the beginning. Instead, they classified them as ‘significant witnesses,’ which unfortunately has become a common practice."

In the aftermath of any death that occurs during police involvement, the officers involved should immediately be regarded as suspects. Their classification as witnesses should only occur after a thorough preliminary investigation determines it is warranted. While police officers typically anticipate being regarded solely as witnesses, genuine accountability requires a shift in this perspective for both law enforcement and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

When a member of the public is directly linked to someone's death, they are almost always seen as a suspect. Why should police officers be treated any differently? Maintaining public trust requires that law enforcement be held to the same standards.

This trial showed that when officers are treated as if they might be suspects, they enjoy greater legal protection compared to the existing ‘Post Incident Procedure,’ which remains in effect until a person is officially labeled a suspect. It's important to conduct more trials like this rather than reducing them. However, this necessitates more thorough investigations and a change in perspective within the IOPC and CPS.

For additional details, please reach out to Leila Hagmann at [email protected] or call 020 7263 1111.

Stay updated on the Justice for Chris Kaba movement by following along here.

Chris's family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish from Hickman & Rose, along with Matthew Ryder KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu from Matrix Chambers. They receive support from Anita Sharma, the Head of Casework at INQUEST.

A 2023 report by Baroness Casey revealed that the Metropolitan Police has issues with institutional racism, homophobia, and misogyny. The investigation examined the Specialist Firearms Command unit (MO19), where Martyn Blake was serving when he shot Chris Kaba. The findings highlighted a “deeply troubling, toxic culture” within the unit, suggesting that “normal rules do not seem to apply” there.

Wayne Couzens, responsible for the murder of Sarah Everard, and David Carrick, who received a life sentence for multiple rapes, both served as armed officers in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit. This particular unit was also highlighted in Casey's report as a cause for concern.

Legal Actions Against Police Officers in Cases of Fatalities

Since 1990, INQUEST has reported a total of 1,906 deaths that occurred while individuals were in police custody or had contact with the police. During this entire period, only one police officer on duty was convicted of manslaughter in 2021, and there have been no convictions for murder.

Dalian Atkinson, 48, passed away on August 15, 2016, after being subjected to excessive force by West Mercia police officers. In 2021, PC Benjamin Monk was convicted of manslaughter in connection with Atkinson's death and received an eight-year prison sentence. Further details are available.

A total of 12 legal cases involving murder or manslaughter have been initiated against police officers while they were on duty. This includes the case against Martyn Blake and the one involving Dalian Atkinson.

The ten additional charges of murder and manslaughter ended without guilty findings. Of these earlier cases, three involved police shootings (this is the fourth), with two being carried out by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Legal action has been initiated in instances where fatalities occurred during interactions with the police, citing breaches of Health and Safety laws.

Additional legal charges, like lying under oath and abusing their position, have been filed against officers after deaths in custody. However, most of these cases have resulted in acquittals or verdicts of not guilty.

Since 1990, there have been 83 instances of individuals being killed by police gunfire in England and Wales. Among these cases, Chris is one of four Black men shot by the Metropolitan Police, joining the ranks of Mark Duggan, Azelle Rodney, and Jermaine Baker.

Three other cases involving murder or manslaughter charges have arisen in the wake of police shootings.