"Jackson said it was "totally untrue" that investigators were not present when the taxi was moved, although he acknowledged the vehicle had been removed and later returned to the scene to facilitate forensic examination.
Jackson also restated the IPCC's anger over a Guardian headline that Mark Duggan was unarmed when he was shot dead by a firearms squad. This headline has been amended online and is subject to an investigation by the Guardian's independent readers' editor."
REPORTER SANDRA LAVILLE: THE GUARDIAN;
APOLOGY FROM THE GUARDIAN: " A front-page story (19 November) about the Independent Police Complaints Commission's investigation into the shooting of Mark Duggan carried a seriously misleading headline in print and online. The story detailed developments in the IPCC investigation, which include findings that show there is no forensic evidence that Duggan was carrying a gun when shot, and that the gun he had collected earlier in the day was found between 10 and 14 feet from his body. The headline was "Revealed: Man whose shooting triggered riots was not armed". However – as the IPCC has stated and the Guardian accepts – it is wrong to infer that Duggan was unarmed from the fact that the gun was not found on him. A subheading was also changed to reflect that any findings were part of an ongoing investigation rather than final conclusions. We apologise for these errors. The readers' editor will write about this issue in his Open Door column on Monday."
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PUBLISHER'S VIEW: This blog shares the horror so many feel about the violence that has erupted throughout London in the aftermath of the fatal police shooting of Mark Duggan. That said, it is still important to examine this fatal shooting - especially in light of what has been learned about the police cover-up - backed by former Home Office Medical Examiner Dr. Freddy Patel (since suspended) - of the fatal police shooting of Ian Tomlinson, the subject of numerous posts on this Blog. I will therefore be following the forensic investigations into the Duggan shooting - wherever they may lead.
HAROLD LEVY; PUBLISHER; THE CHARLES SMITH BLOG;
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"An independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan is being undermined by "irresponsible inaccuracies", the police watchdog said on Thursday," the Guardian story by reporter Sandra Laville published on November 24, 2011 under the heading, "Mark Duggan investigation hampered by inaccuracies," and the sub-heading, "Independent inquiry into fatal shooting being hampered by irresponsible media comment, warns police watchdog," begins.
"Len Jackson, interim chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), made the statement following suggestions by Stafford Scott, a community adviser to the IPCC, that the minicab carrying Duggan had been removed from the scene before IPCC investigators arrived. Scott and another adviser to the IPCC have both resigned, criticising its handling of the investigation," the story continues.
"Jackson said it was "totally untrue" that investigators were not present when the taxi was moved, although he acknowledged the vehicle had been removed and later returned to the scene to facilitate forensic examination.
Jackson also restated the IPCC's anger over a Guardian headline that Mark Duggan was unarmed when he was shot dead by a firearms squad. This headline has been amended online and is subject to an investigation by the Guardian's independent readers' editor.
Duggan's fatal shooting in August sparked the riots in Tottenham, north London, which spread across London and the rest of the country over four days.
The IPCC is carrying out an independent investigation into the shooting, which it has said could take six months.
Jackson said in a statement on Thursday: "I am taking the highly unusual step of clarifying inaccurate, misleading and, more importantly, irresponsible comment that has appeared in recent days in relation to the IPCC investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mark Duggan.
"I am doing so because, if these inaccuracies continue to gain currency, they risk undermining the integrity of and public confidence in our investigation."
Initial reports – which came from guidance issued by the IPCC – that Duggan shot at police were untrue. Ballistics tests showed that a bullet that had lodged in a firearms officer's radio had come from a police firearm.
Duggan was a passenger in a minicab that was stopped by police near Tottenham Hale station after officers had followed him. Part of the operation has been captured on police video.
There are no fingerprints on the weapon – which was inside a sock – or other forensics to link Duggan to the firearm that the IPCC says was found at the scene.
Jackson said: "The IPCC's focus is, and continues to be, investigating thoroughly and robustly the circumstances around Mark Duggan's death.
"We seek to uncover the truth and we do so without fear or favour. We will put all the facts in the public domain at the appropriate time and our investigation will be tested and scrutinised by Mr Duggan's family, by the community and by the court."Jackson said the non-police-issue firearm recovered at the scene remains subject to forensic testing and remains a key part of the IPCC investigation.
He said to date there was nothing to substantiate claims that a police officer had been seen throwing a gun.
"Allegations citing that a police officer was seen 'throwing a gun' remain unsubstantiated by any witnesses or evidence," he said.
"If anyone did witness this, then we would urge them to come forward and share this evidence with the IPCC."
Disputing claims that the minicab was removed from the scene before the watchdog arrived, Jackson said: "IPCC investigators attended and took over the scene of the shooting on the evening of 4 August within two hours of being called.
"The taxicab in which Mark Duggan had travelled remained at the scene of the shooting, in the presence of IPCC investigators, until mid-afternoon on Friday 5 August.
"It was then sealed and briefly removed from the scene to facilitate further investigation at a specialist forensic facility."
He said it was "disappointing" that two members of the watchdog's Community Reference Group – set up by the IPCC because of the sensitivity of the inquiry - had resigned from the panel.
More than 160 witness statements have been taken, with more than 220 exhibits gathered, he said."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/nov/24/mark-duggan-investigation-undermined?newsfeed=true
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
