Overturning an open verdict after a murder conviction

HM Coroner for the Isle of Wight v (1) HM Prison Service (2) Family of Alvin Bay (dec) [2015] EWHC 1360 (Admin), 1.4.2015

The sad case of Alvin Bay sets out no new proposition of law, but perhaps leads one to wonder whether there should be some mechanism to allow a Senior Coroner (or even the Chief Coroner) to have a quicker and easier procedure to overturn an inquest conclusion when there is a clear need to do so and no-one is objecting to that action.

Northern Irish High Court refuse Finucane Public Inquiry

In a further court judgment in the long running saga of the investigations of the murder of solicitor Patrick Finucane, Stevens J, in the High Court of Northern Ireland, has held that the decision of the British Government not to hold an public inquiry that could examine the complicity of state agents and employees in his murder was lawful.

“The killing involved the most conspicuously bad, glaring and flagrant breach of the obligation of the state to protect the life of its citizen and to ensure the rule of law.”

-Stephens J: Finucane’s (Geraldine) Application [2015] NIQB 57