The Old Bailey
2 - 21 October 2024
A Metropolitan Police firearms officer has today been found not guilty of the murder of Chris Kaba.
Chris Kaba, a 24 year old Black man, was fatally shot by Martyn Blake, a firearms officer from the Metropolitan Police on 5 September 2022 in Streatham, London. He was unarmed.
On 5 September 2022, Metropolitan police forced the car Chris was driving to stop believing it was linked to a firearms incident the previous night in nearby Brixton. The car was not registered to Chris and was not stolen.
The officers did not know who was driving the car. Chris was unarmed and had his hands clearly visible on the steering wheel. Blake rushed out of his car and within a few seconds shot Chris in the head.
During the trial, Martyn Blake described having seen Chris as a “Black male who looked comparatively young and athletic”. The prosecution argued that the trained firearms officer decided to shoot “precipitously” whilst the car was stationary and hemmed in at the back with no risk to anyone as the other officers were not nearby.
They also argued that Martyn Blake deliberately made false and exaggerated statements to create an element of danger that did not exist when he decided to shoot Chris.
Martyn Blake was charged with Chris’ murder by the Crown Prosecution Service on 20 September 2023. At no point did the defence put in an application that he had no case to answer for. Today, the jury at The Old Bailey has found him not guilty.
Following the jury’s verdict, Chris’ family made the following statement: “Today, we are devastated. The not guilty verdict leaves us with the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed.
No family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced. Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life — and many others like him — does not matter to the system. Our son deserved better.
The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family, but for all those affected by police violence.
Despite this verdict, we won’t be silenced. We are deeply grateful to everyone who stood by us and fought for justice. We will continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change. Chris’ life mattered, and nothing can take that away from us.”
Temi Mwale and Kayza Rose of the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign, said: “Today is a devastating moment for the Kaba family, our community, and the nation. Martyn Blake’s acquittal is painful proof that our lives are not valued by this system.
The fight for accountability, justice, and racial equity has spanned decades, and we honor all those who have contributed. Despite today’s verdict, our commitment remains unwavering. For the Kaba family, justice was never just about a conviction - it’s about systemic change, a fight we will not abandon as a campaign.
This outcome reinforces the harsh reality that police can kill without consequence. No one can be safe while the police can kill with impunity. We stand with the families who lost loved ones before Chris, still seeking justice. This verdict is not the end - it only strengthens our resolve. Now is the time to join the fight for a future where justice and accountability are the norm, and no one is above the law.
True justice for our community must go beyond the criminal legal system. It must deliver real repair, healing, and lasting transformation.
Rest in Power Chris Kaba.”
Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, said: “It is difficult to reconcile the verdict with the evidence heard at the trial and the shocking reality of an unarmed Black man being shot in the head.
It is clear from our work that when the police kill, they seek to operate above the law. This verdict must not now be used by the police lobby to further dilute police accountability.
We know that Chris’ death is not an isolated case but part of systemic racism and stereotyping that equates Black men with dangerousness. For decades, Black men, have disproportionately been killed by the police.
However, the conviction of one police officer does not stop the violence, racism and misogyny entrenched in police culture and practice.
Real justice and accountability is when the deaths and harms of policing stop. To achieve this, we must urgently redirect resources away from police and into communities.”
Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish of Hickman and Rose, who represent the family, said: "In this case, the IOPC once again failed to treat the officers involved in a death as suspects from the start, instead labelling them as ‘significant witnesses,’ as is too often the norm.
After any death following police contact, key officers should be treated as suspects right away, with their status changed to witnesses only if appropriate after an initial investigation. Police officers expect to be treated as witnesses, but for real accountability, this needs to change within both the police and the IOPC.
If a member of the public is directly involved in someone's death they’re invariably treated as a suspect - why should police officers be different? Public trust depends on holding police to the same standard.
This trial revealed that treating officers as suspects offers them better legal protection than the current ‘Post Incident Procedure,’ which applies until someone is considered a suspect. We need more trials like this, not fewer, but it requires stronger investigations and a shift in mindset at the IOPC and CPS."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information contact Leila Hagmann on
[email protected] or 020 7263 1111.
Follow the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign here.
Chris’s family are represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish of Hickman & Rose, and Matthew Ryder KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu of Matrix Chambers. The family are supported by INQUEST Head of Casework, Anita Sharma.
RELEVANT BACKGROUND
A review by Baroness Casey in 2023 found that the Metropolitan police was institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic. Looking at the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Firearms Command unit (MO19), which Martyn Blake was in when he shot Chris Kaba, the report found a ‘deeply troubling, toxic culture’ where ‘normal rules do not seem to apply.’
Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard, and David Carrick, who was jailed for life over a series of rapes, were both armed officers in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit, another armed unit singled out by Casey’s report.
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS OF POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN DEATHS
Since 1990 there have been 1,906 deaths recorded by INQUEST in or following police custody or contact. In that time only one on duty police officer has been found guilty of manslaughter in 2021, and none for murder.
Dalian Atkinson, 48, died on 15 August 2016, following use of force by officers of West Mercia police. PC Benjamin Monk was found guilty of his manslaughter, and was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2021. More information.
In total there have been 12 murder or manslaughter prosecutions brought relating to on duty police officers, including this prosecution of Martyn Blake and the prosecution in the Dalian Atkinson case.
The ten other murder and manslaughter charges did not result in guilty verdicts. Three of these previous cases related to police shootings (this is the fourth), two of which were by Metropolitan Police officers.
Prosecutions have also been brought following deaths in police contact under Health and Safety legislation.
Other criminal charges against officers, such as perjury and misconduct in public office, have been brought following deaths in custody, but most have led to acquittals or not guilty verdicts.
FATAL POLICE SHOOTINGS
Since 1990, a total of 83 people, have been fatally shot by the police in England and Wales. Chris is one of four Black men shot by the Metropolitan police in this time, the others include Mark Duggan, Azelle Rodney and Jermaine Baker.
There have been three other murder or manslaughter prosecutions following police shootings:
- Azelle Rodney was fatally shot by a Metropolitan police officer in 2005 during a hard stop in North London. Following the public inquiry into the death, which found the officer did not have a lawful justification for killing Azelle, the officer was prosecuted with murder. In 2015, that officer was found not guilty by a majority verdict.
- James Ashley was fatally shot in his bedroom by police in 1998 in St Leonards, East Sussex. PC Sherwood was charged following an investigation into the death. Four other Sussex officers were charged with other offences. In 2001, the trials collapsed and no officer was found guilty of any criminal charge.
- David Ewin was fatally shot by police in Barnes, London in February 1995. The Metropolitan Police officer who shot him was found not guilty of both the murder and manslaughter of David in 1997. It was the third time the officer had faced trial, after previous juries failed to reach a verdict.
PREVIOUS MEDIA RELEASES
Not-guilty Jury Verdict In The Murder Trial Of Met Firearms Officer Who Killed Chris Kaba
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The Old Bailey
2 - 21 October 2024
A Metropolitan Police firearms officer has today been found not guilty of the murder of Chris Kaba.
Chris Kaba, a 24 year old Black man, was fatally shot by Martyn Blake, a firearms officer from the Metropolitan Police on 5 September 2022 in Streatham, London. He was unarmed.
On 5 September 2022, Metropolitan police forced the car Chris was driving to stop believing it was linked to a firearms incident the previous night in nearby Brixton. The car was not registered to Chris and was not stolen.
The officers did not know who was driving the car. Chris was unarmed and had his hands clearly visible on the steering wheel. Blake rushed out of his car and within a few seconds shot Chris in the head.
During the trial, Martyn Blake described having seen Chris as a “Black male who looked comparatively young and athletic”. The prosecution argued that the trained firearms officer decided to shoot “precipitously” whilst the car was stationary and hemmed in at the back with no risk to anyone as the other officers were not nearby.
They also argued that Martyn Blake deliberately made false and exaggerated statements to create an element of danger that did not exist when he decided to shoot Chris.
Martyn Blake was charged with Chris’ murder by the Crown Prosecution Service on 20 September 2023. At no point did the defence put in an application that he had no case to answer for. Today, the jury at The Old Bailey has found him not guilty.
Following the jury’s verdict, Chris’ family made the following statement: “Today, we are devastated. The not guilty verdict leaves us with the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed.
No family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced. Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life — and many others like him — does not matter to the system. Our son deserved better.
The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family, but for all those affected by police violence.
Despite this verdict, we won’t be silenced. We are deeply grateful to everyone who stood by us and fought for justice. We will continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change. Chris’ life mattered, and nothing can take that away from us.”
Temi Mwale and Kayza Rose of the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign, said: “Today is a devastating moment for the Kaba family, our community, and the nation. Martyn Blake’s acquittal is painful proof that our lives are not valued by this system.
The fight for accountability, justice, and racial equity has spanned decades, and we honor all those who have contributed. Despite today’s verdict, our commitment remains unwavering. For the Kaba family, justice was never just about a conviction - it’s about systemic change, a fight we will not abandon as a campaign.
This outcome reinforces the harsh reality that police can kill without consequence. No one can be safe while the police can kill with impunity. We stand with the families who lost loved ones before Chris, still seeking justice. This verdict is not the end - it only strengthens our resolve. Now is the time to join the fight for a future where justice and accountability are the norm, and no one is above the law.
True justice for our community must go beyond the criminal legal system. It must deliver real repair, healing, and lasting transformation.
Rest in Power Chris Kaba.”
Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, said: “It is difficult to reconcile the verdict with the evidence heard at the trial and the shocking reality of an unarmed Black man being shot in the head.
It is clear from our work that when the police kill, they seek to operate above the law. This verdict must not now be used by the police lobby to further dilute police accountability.
We know that Chris’ death is not an isolated case but part of systemic racism and stereotyping that equates Black men with dangerousness. For decades, Black men, have disproportionately been killed by the police.
However, the conviction of one police officer does not stop the violence, racism and misogyny entrenched in police culture and practice.
Real justice and accountability is when the deaths and harms of policing stop. To achieve this, we must urgently redirect resources away from police and into communities.”
Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish of Hickman and Rose, who represent the family, said: "In this case, the IOPC once again failed to treat the officers involved in a death as suspects from the start, instead labelling them as ‘significant witnesses,’ as is too often the norm.
After any death following police contact, key officers should be treated as suspects right away, with their status changed to witnesses only if appropriate after an initial investigation. Police officers expect to be treated as witnesses, but for real accountability, this needs to change within both the police and the IOPC.
If a member of the public is directly involved in someone's death they’re invariably treated as a suspect - why should police officers be different? Public trust depends on holding police to the same standard.
This trial revealed that treating officers as suspects offers them better legal protection than the current ‘Post Incident Procedure,’ which applies until someone is considered a suspect. We need more trials like this, not fewer, but it requires stronger investigations and a shift in mindset at the IOPC and CPS."
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further information contact Leila Hagmann on [email protected] or 020 7263 1111.
Follow the Justice for Chris Kaba campaign here.
Chris’s family are represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish of Hickman & Rose, and Matthew Ryder KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu of Matrix Chambers. The family are supported by INQUEST Head of Casework, Anita Sharma.
RELEVANT BACKGROUND
A review by Baroness Casey in 2023 found that the Metropolitan police was institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic. Looking at the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Firearms Command unit (MO19), which Martyn Blake was in when he shot Chris Kaba, the report found a ‘deeply troubling, toxic culture’ where ‘normal rules do not seem to apply.’
Wayne Couzens, who murdered Sarah Everard, and David Carrick, who was jailed for life over a series of rapes, were both armed officers in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection unit, another armed unit singled out by Casey’s report.
CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS OF POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN DEATHS
Since 1990 there have been 1,906 deaths recorded by INQUEST in or following police custody or contact. In that time only one on duty police officer has been found guilty of manslaughter in 2021, and none for murder.
Dalian Atkinson, 48, died on 15 August 2016, following use of force by officers of West Mercia police. PC Benjamin Monk was found guilty of his manslaughter, and was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2021. More information.
In total there have been 12 murder or manslaughter prosecutions brought relating to on duty police officers, including this prosecution of Martyn Blake and the prosecution in the Dalian Atkinson case.
The ten other murder and manslaughter charges did not result in guilty verdicts. Three of these previous cases related to police shootings (this is the fourth), two of which were by Metropolitan Police officers.
Prosecutions have also been brought following deaths in police contact under Health and Safety legislation.
Other criminal charges against officers, such as perjury and misconduct in public office, have been brought following deaths in custody, but most have led to acquittals or not guilty verdicts.
FATAL POLICE SHOOTINGS
Since 1990, a total of 83 people, have been fatally shot by the police in England and Wales. Chris is one of four Black men shot by the Metropolitan police in this time, the others include Mark Duggan, Azelle Rodney and Jermaine Baker.
There have been three other murder or manslaughter prosecutions following police shootings:
PREVIOUS MEDIA RELEASES
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