Family seek report on Israeli killing of film-maker (James Miller)

[Englander]

Wednesday March 9, 2005

The family of a British documentary maker shot dead in Israel were expecting to receive the results of an inquiry into his killing today.

James Miller, 34, from Braunton, Devon, was gunned down by an Israeli defence force soldier while filming in the town of Rafah in 2003. His wife, Sophy, and family have fought a long campaign to bring his killer to justice but so far no one has faced criminal charges, despite an investigation by the Israeli military police which is thought to have been completed several months ago.

Speaking after a meeting with the Israeli ambassador, Zvi Heifetz, in London yesterday, Mr Miller's parents, Eileen and Geoffrey Miller, said they now hoped to hear the conclusions of the inquiry when other family members meet the Israeli advocate general, General Mandelblitt, in Tel Aviv today.

Mrs Miller said: "Our other children and Sophy are due to meet the advocate general, and it's the first time he has agreed to meet the family in the 22 months since James was shot." She said the ambassador indicated there would be some kind of disclosure today.

More at;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1433751,00.html

[centristo]

1. was this the subject of a special on HBO?

I think I saw this a few months ago...

[idontwantaname]

3. death in gaza

http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/death_in_gaza/

not as good as:

DISPATCHES: THE KILLING ZONE
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/44823/index.php

[plant-fan]

2. Ooh - a potential "disclosure" !

Now that's exciting. No doubt they sat on it for months because it was devastatingly even-handed.

Why does anyone care what military outfits have to say about the crimes they commit ?

[Englander]

4. Israeli officer who killed UK journalist faces minor charges

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Thursday March 10, 2005
The Guardian

The Israeli army has told the family of a British journalist killed in the Gaza Strip that the soldier responsible will face only minor disciplinary charges, despite the investigators' suspicion that he illegally shot James Miller two years ago.

Miller's widow Sophy said the family intended to bring a civil action for damages against the Israeli army and to seek a judicial review of the decision not to prosecute the soldier for murder.

"I think to keep people waiting for two years only to deliver nothing is an outrage," she said.

"They presented it as if they have gone to every length to secure the truth, that they've left no stone unturned, but at the same time failed to even secure the evidence the night James was killed."


More at ;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1434235,00.html

[Scurrilous]

5. U.K. cameraman killing case closed

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3056327,00.html

IDF attorney tells family two-year internal probe had not uncovered proof of wrongdoing and IDF soldiers would not be put on trial

<snip>

"Relatives of the British cameraman who was killed in an exchange of gunfire in 2003 met IDF Prosecutor General Avichai Mandelblith Wednesday to hear why IDF soldiers involved in the incident would not be put on trial.

James Miller, 34, was killed in the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip while making a documentary, "Death in Gaza", about Palestinian children caught up in the conflict with Israel.

Mandelblith told Miller's relatives that the two-year internal probe had not uncovered proof of wrongdoing.

"The findings of the military police show that the commanding officer of the unit at the scene allegedly fired his weapon in breach
of Israel Defense Force rules of engagement," Mandelblith said. "However, it is not legally possible to link this shooting to the gun shot sustained by Miller (to) provide a reasonable chance for conviction."

[Djinn]

6. Apparently the field of forensic ballistics

hasn't quite made it to Israel???

"The findings of the military police show that the commanding officer of the unit at the scene allegedly fired his weapon in breach
of Israel Defense Force rules of engagement," Mandelblith said. "However, it is not legally possible to link this shooting to the gun shot sustained by Miller (to) provide a reasonable chance for conviction."

[tinnypriv]

7. That's because

The guy very probably changed his weapon, or swapped out the internal parts (so it would leave a different ballistic print). Apparently very easy to do.

Israel, of course, refused to investigate quickly, therefore he had time to do that.

Oh, and "exchange of gunfire" is a sick joke. Yedioth should be ashamed, but I doubt they even noticed they wrote that.

[eyl]

8. Or more likely,

doing a forensic examination of the area would entail a firefight.

Ballistic printing is caused by the rifle's barrel. It's not that easy to exchange it (unlike the breech or some other parts of the mechanisms) without anyone knowing, and swapping weapons would leave a record.