UK Police Officer Accused Of 'Planting' Song Titles Into Evidence Over Shooting

from the taking-things-seriously? dept

Well, this one is just a bit disturbing. Apparently a UK police officer, who "may" have shot and killed Mark Saunder -- who apparently got very drunk and started shooting a gun out of his apartment window -- has been accused of purposely inserting various song titles into his hearing on what happened. The officer, who is not named, apparently was able to work in the titles of at least half a dozen popular songs, in responding to questions about what happened. The Guardian notes at least the following song titles in the text: Enough is Enough by Donna Summer, Point of No Return by Buzzcocks, Line of Fire by Journey, Quiet Moments by Chris de Burgh, Kicking Myself by As Tall As Lions and Fuck My Old Boots by the Membranes. The guy really seemed to figure out ways to work them into what he was saying:

A transcript shows that the officer told the inquest that the shooting was not like in films, where "it's the bad guy who pulls the trigger and the good guy always gets there first". The situation had got "past the point of no return", he said.

"As I play it back in my mind, which is not something I do all the time, but in quiet moments I think about and I feel: 'is there any other way?'. But every time I play it back in my mind it's the same outcome -- unfortunately Mr Saunders gets shot because of his actions.

"I switched the light on, he turned towards me and I thought: 'Fuck my old boots, I've got a gun trained on me ...

"As he brings the gun down his finger could be on the trigger. Action will always beat reactions. We have to decide where that point is, and for me as he was bringing it down I thought, 'No. Enough is enough.'"

He told the court: "I would be buggered if I was going to turn my back on a guy with a shotgun. I've got people protecting me, or I'm supposed to, but there's nothing like protecting yourself -- self-preservation."

The officer in question has been suspended from firearms duty, and apparently the police commissioner is "furious."

Filed Under: planting songs, police