[NYTr] Did Brit Cops Manipulate Brazilian's Photo to Justify Shooting Him?
 
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:35:33 -0500 (CDT)

Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
[This story is being reported by the British media. The court is now
hearing and seeing CCTV images that were allegedly fudged, fooled
with, enhanced or altered after the murder of the Brazilian Charles de
Menezes to make his photo look more like that of Hussain Osman, who
apparently deserved to be shot down by the special unit of the Metro
Police. See the URL at Channel 4 for the composite image. - NY Transfer]

The Independent - Oct 18, 2007
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article3070589.ece

Menezes picture 'manipulated' to look like bomber

By Cahal Milmo

A composite photograph used on behalf of the Metropolitan Police to
attempt to show the similarity between Jean Charles De Menezes and a
failed suicide bomber was dishonestly manipulated to make the two men
appear more alike, a court at the Old Bailey was told yesterday.

Prosecutors at the trial of the police force, which is accused of
endangering the public during the botched operation that led to the
death of the 27-year-old Brazilian, told jurors that they believed an
image shown in court had been stretched or resized to create a
misleading match between the two men.

The photograph consisted of half the face of Mr De Menezes and half the
face of Hussain Osman, the bomber who attempted to blow up a train
carriage at Shepherds Bush on 21 July 2005. By placing the two pictures
side by side, lawyers for Scotland Yard had sought to show the
difficulties that officers tracking Mr De Menezes would have faced in
trying to differentiate between the men. But a forensic expert told the
court that the picture of the Brazilian in the police composite
appeared to have been brightened and the definition of some of his
facial characteristics had been reduced.

Clare Montgomery QC, prosecuting, said that overall the image had been
altered "by either stretching or resizing so the face ceases to have
its correct proportions". The court was then shown an alternative
composite in which the two faces have distinctly different skin tones
and their mouths and noses are not aligned, unlike the original
produced for the police force. Both composites were based on a
photograph of Mr De Menezes taken from his 2001 identity card and a
picture of Osman taken by police when he was arrested in Rome.

Mr Justice Henriques, the trial judge, said: "A serious allegation has
been made that a picture has been manipulated so as to mislead." Under
cross-examination, Mr George was asked whether there had been
manipulation of the "primary features" of Mr De Menezes's face. He
replied: "I don't believe there has been any. But making the image
brighter has changed the image."

The Yard is being prosecuted under health and safety legislation for
alleged "fundamental" failures that led to Mr De Menezes being shot
seven times in the head on board a London Underground train the day
after the failed 21 July bombings. The force denies the charge that it
put the public at undue risk of danger during the surveillance
operation in which the Brazilian was mistaken for Osman.

Earlier, defence lawyers were challenged by the judge over a line of
questioning about Mr De Menezes's immigration status after a
counterfeit stamp was found in his passport.

Mr Henriques asked Ronald Thwaites QC, representing the Yard: "He is a
member of the public who is entitled to the protection of the Health
and Safety at Work Act whatever his status, is he not?" The court also
heard that Mr De Menezes's permission to remain in the UK would have
run out on 23 July, the day after he was killed.

The prosecution closed it case and the defence is expected to open its
case today.

                           ***

Channel 4 News (UK) - Oct 17, 2007
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/law_order/menezes+and+osman+image+enhanced/931857

Menezes and Osman image 'enhanced'

By Simon Israel

A composite image of Charles de Menezes and attempted suicide bomber
Hussain Osman has been described as "enhanced" in court.

The prosecution in the trial of the Metropolitan Police over the
shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes has claimed that a composite image
of him and the attempted suicide bomber Hussain Osman issued by the
defence was "enhanced".

Mr de Menezes was shot at Stockwell station in 2005, after being
mistaken for Osman.

Earlier in the trial the defence issued the above image, which shows
half of of de Menezes' face, and half of Osman's face - to illustrate
the difficulties officers faced in telling them apart.
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