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Hillsborough: A maddening passage for families at the trial came when David Duckenfield's QC effectively cited the Taylor Report as evidence he should be cleared; he said that as a safety overhaul was recommended, the disaster could not have been the fault of one man. (Thread)
The jury at this trial was not told the conclusions of previous inquiries & proceedings, as that's how our legal system works; so they did not know the 2016 inquests verdict, that the 96 people were unlawfully killed due to David Duckenfield's gross negligence manslaughter.
But Duckenfield's QC effectively cited the 2nd Taylor Report, which recommended all-seating. Yet jury wasn't told about Taylor's actual report into the disaster. In that he strongly criticised Duckenfield, & said failure to close the tunnel was "a blunder of the first magnitude."
So the jury was effectively told the Taylor report(s) cleared Duckenfield, by blaming lack of safety at football grounds, when in fact Taylor was indeed appalled by the lack of safety at grounds incl Hillsborough, but still strongly criticised Duckenfield's actions on the day.
I covered the trial and retrial for @guardian, and tried to ask questions throughout, but the legal process is an adversarial battle and does not explain itself; at this stage, the trial over with a not guilty verdict, I have no idea why this was allowed. (Thread ends)
