Police today denied reports that they offered a million dollars in compensation to the family of Tube shooting victim Jean Charles de Menezes.
Police today denied reports that they offered a million dollars in compensation to the family of Tube shooting victim Jean Charles de Menezes.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The only discussions we have had so far with the family of Jean
Family collect photo of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Charles de Menezes have been about initial expenses.
"We strongly refute any suggestion that a figure anywhere in the region of one million dollars has been offered as compensation."
The parents of Mr de Menezes (27) who was shot seven times in the head by police marksmen on July 22nd at Stockwell Tube station, reportedly rejected the offer from Scotland Yard over their son's mistaken shooting, saying it was an insult.
Matozinho and Maria de Menezes told the Daily Mail: "We will not be bought off. We will not be silenced. This is not about money, this is about justice."
According to the paper, deputy assistant commissioner John Yates flew to Brazil two weeks ago to make the initial offer of payment. But Yasmin Khan, of the Justice4Jean campaign, reportedly said it was flatly rejected.
"Money was being bandied about, but was not accepted," she said. "The family felt it was insulting and was not prepared to be bought off. A sum of one million dollars was offered. Compensation is a given in such cases, but the money was not accepted.
"It is unbelievable that at the same time as the Met chief (Sir Ian Blair) is lying in Britain and misleading the public, he is also sending officers out to Brazil to offer money. It adds to our suspicions of a cover-up."
A police spokeswoman said discussions with the family had taken place about certain expenses which the family may have incurred but she would not say how much money was involved.
She said: "We would not go into details. Every case is different. This case is obviously unique but any case involving compensation is judged at the relevant time."
Sir Ian has urged the public not to let furore over the death of Mr de Menezes "outweigh" the loss of many more lives in the London terror attacks.
The under-pressure officer, who has faced repeated calls for his resignation, once again rejected suggestions that police had been engaged in a cover-up following the fatal shooting of the Brazilian.
In an interview to be broadcast today, Sir Ian also said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into the killing had not begun immediately because of the "unique situation".
He told the BBC Radio 4 Talking Politics programme: "Tragic as the death of Mr Menezes is, and we have apologised for it and we take responsibility for it, it is one death out of 57.
"The context here is the largest criminal inquiry in English history with 52 innocent victims dead, still double figures of people whose lives have been wrecked, four dead bombers and we can't let that one tragic death outweigh all others."