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Letter to the editor To: The Daily Telegraph Subject: Letter for Publication: Death of Ian Tomlinson 26th August 2010 Sir, The decision of Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosections, not to proceed with any presecution following the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in April last year was wrong on its face. The reason given was that the disagreement between pathologists as to the cause of death meant that the prospects of securing a conviction were to low to justify proceeding. Now we learn that the pathologist who carried out the first post-mortem, which suggested natural causes, Dr Patel, has been barred from performing any further Home Office pathology work, has been found by the GMC to be irresponsible and may be struck off or suspended by the GMC at a future hearing. The two other (presumably competent) pathologists agreed that the cause of death was internal bleeding following 'blunt force trauma'. In the light of the doubts about Dr Patel the assessment of his evidence could and should have been left to a jury. Not to leave the decision to a jury begins to look like a cover-up. What has become of our society when a Police Officer can assault an innocent member of the public, in broad daylight and on video, such that he dies within minutes and yet no prosecution result. Thirty years after the death of Blair Peach have we learned nothing? The police and the DPP need to realise that everyone's life matters and every suspicious death should be investigated fully and suspects should be subject to the full process of law whoever they are: Police Officers included. Ian Tomlinson deserves better than a shabby cover-up. Yours faithfully, DANIEL WOOD
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