De Menezes family seek compensation

The family of Jean Charles de Menezes today said they would launch a compensation claim against the Metropolitan Police for shooting dead the Brazilian electrician.

Their decision comes after the CPS revealed it would not bring charges against the police marksmen who shot Mr de Menezes at a Tube station, despite expressing doubts over the police version of events.

An inquest jury returned an open verdict in December after hearing three months of evidence. Mr de Menezes was shot dead by two marksmen who wrongly thought he was a terrorist after boarding a train at Stockwell on 22 July 2005.

The de Menezes family will abandon their four-year battle for justice, after backing down on an earlier threat to challenge the coroner's decision not to allow the jury to consider a verdict of unlawful killing.

A Justice 4 Jean Campaign spokeswoman said: "What the family want is justice, that's what the family has always been striving for.

"A compensation claim is the next natural step. There has been a breach of their human rights. They are entitled to damages."

The family would not say how much compensation they would seek.

They will switch their campaign to focus on lobbying Parliament to tighten the laws surrounding police accountability.