A Metropolitan Police firearms officer has been found not guilty of murdering driver Chris Kaba in a police shooting. Martyn Blake, also known as officer NX121, was acquitted of murder by jurors at London’s Old Bailey after a three-week trial. The 40-year-old officer shot the 24-year-old in the forehead through the windscreen of an Audi Q8 in Streatham, south London, during a police stop on 5 September 2022.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that it was unnecessary for the officer to fire his weapon as armed police had already surrounded the 24-year-old driver. They also claimed that Blake’s initial account of the shooting contained false and exaggerated details. However, Martyn Blake maintained that he feared for his life and the safety of his colleague as Chris Kaba attempted to force his way out of the police stop.
The car involved had been linked to a shooting in Brixton the previous night and was under surveillance when a police officer recognized the number plate. The prosecutor accused Blake of misjudging the risk to his fellow officers and aiming for Mr. Kaba’s head with the fatal shot. Other officers at the scene testified that they were also considering using lethal force in that moment.
In a dramatic courtroom revelation, jurors were shown body-worn camera footage from the scene, as well as computer-generated images illustrating the positions of the officers and the vehicle during the shooting incident. Despite the prosecution’s assertions, Martyn Blake maintained that his actions were lawful, proportionate, and necessary in the circumstances.
Mr. Blake’s defence barrister emphasised that the officer was not an infallible machine-like figure but a human being doing his job to the best of his ability. The trial’s outcome comes after a charging decision by the Crown Prosecution Service and an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which led to a significant backlash from armed police officers.
This case adds to a small number of instances where police officers have faced murder charges following fatal shootings. Previously, PC Anthony Long and PC Benjamin Monk were charged in similar incidents, with different trial outcomes. The verdict in Martyn Blake’s trial has brought some closure to the high-profile case, which has been closely followed by the public and the media.