From: "Rich Gauszka" 


"Adam" <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the
field.near the bridge"> wrote in message
news:45faf208{at}w3.nls.net...
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6449227.stm
>
> "The death of a UK soldier when a US pilot fired on his convoy in Iraq
> was unlawful, a coroner has ruled.
>
> The "friendly fire" incident which killed Lance Corporal
Matty Hull, 25,
> amounted to a criminal act, he said.
>
> Andrew Walker said the 2003 death was "entirely avoidable" and L/Cpl
> Hull's widow said the verdict was "right". "
>
> "In delivering his narrative verdict, Mr Walker said: "The
attack on the
> convoy amounted to an assault.
>
> "It was unlawful because there was no lawful reason for it and in that
> respect it was criminal." "
>
>
> Adam

I agree that some of the testimony is problematic for the pilots ( looks
like a royal screw up ) but Coroner Andrew Walker seems to have his own
agenda regarding 'friendly fire'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6326193.stm


Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner Andrew Walker's criticism of the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) over a "friendly fire" inquest is not
the first time he has criticised the department. Mr Walker was appointed by
Oxfordshire Coroner Nicholas Gardiner on 6 June last year to conduct
military inquests. A barrister, he was already qualified to sit as a
coroner at a number of courts in London.

In the majority of military deaths, the bodies are flown back to RAF Brize
Norton at Carterton, Oxfordshire - and the current conflicts have imposed a
serious burden on the courts in that county.

The jurisdiction for the inquest arises where the body lies and once an
inquest has been opened it is not possible for it to be transferred.

Mr Walker has previously spoken out at inquests about a number of friendly
fire incidents.

'Unforgivable delays'

They included, in November, the inquest of Marine Christopher Maddison, 24,
from Scarborough, who was killed by his own side during a river patrol on
the Khawr Az Zubayr river in southern Iraq in 2003.

Recording a narrative verdict - which allows the circumstances of a death
to be more fully set out - Mr Walker said there were serious failures in
the chain of command at a crossing point.

And in December, Mr Walker criticised the MoD over the death of Sgt Steven
Roberts, 33, from Shipley, West Yorkshire, also in a friendly fire
incident.

.........

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