Hillsborough Inquests: Jurors Return Verdict of Unlawful Killing of Liverpool 96

A nine-man jury determined on Tuesday that the 96 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives at the Hillsborough disaster were victims of unlawful killing. 

The Times' Matt Dickinson provided the jury's verdict from the Warrington hearing, bringing an end to the longest inquest in British legal history:

Per Dickinson, it was confirmed in court that the Liverpool supporters were not to blame for the disaster, which occurred during the April 15, 1989, FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The jurors also found the police force made errors in the buildup to the match, on the day of the game and after the crush occurred in the Leppings Lane stand.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool's chief executive officer, released a statement via the club's official website, thanking the jury for the verdict:

"

Liverpool Football Club welcomes the jury’s decision, once and for all, that our supporters were not in any way responsible for what happened at Hillsborough. We will always remember the selfless bravery and heroism of the many fans that helped their fellow supporters in the most harrowing of circumstances that day. We praise those who, since the beginning of the inquest, have had to find the courage and strength to re-live what they went through.

"

Jurors determined there were issues with the stadium itself that contributed to the disaster, with capacity figures noted incorrectly and safety certificates out of date.

Sky Sports News HQ gave a rundown of the points and the subsequent verdicts:

As Tony Barrett of the Times noted, it was an emotional day for the families of the 96, who were present in court:

Per the Liverpool Echo’s Eleanor Barlow, the jury elaborated on the errors authorities made before the game. "Commanding officers should have ordered the closure of the central tunnel before the opening of gate C was requested as pens three and four were full," the forewoman said.

On problems with the stadium, the forewoman added the "design and layout of the crush barriers in pen three and four were not fully compliant with the Green Guide."

BBC News' Dominic Casciani outlined what the next step will be in the wake of these verdicts:

Afterwards, Andy Burnham MP said in a statement that "the sense of relief we feel is tempered by the knowledge that this day has taken far too long in coming," while MP for Liverpool Walton Steve Rotheram said, "I have waited 27 years for this moment," per Barlow.

The Football Association posted their own statement, in which it said "while much has changed since 1989, The FA and English football in general must continue to recognise, remember and learn from the tragedy. In looking forward, it is important we never forget."

The families of the 96 have campaigned long and hard to prove Liverpool fans were not to blame for the events that occurred 27 years ago. Infamously, the Sun newspaper ran the following front page in the aftermath of the disaster, per Martin Williamson, formerly of ESPN:

Sir Bernard Ingham, former press secretary to Margaret Thatcher—prime minister at the time— previously blamed "tanked-up yobs" for the crush in a letter in 1996, per Burnley player Joey Barton:

Sky News captured the moment some of the families emerged from court before singing the iconic Liverpool anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" in unison:

Jurors had been asked to assess a 14-section questionnaire regarding the events that took place on April 15, 1989. The panel, consisting of six women and three men, per BBC News, came to a unanimous decision on 13 of the 14 points, returning a majority verdict when asked whether the supporters were unlawfully killed.

That conclusion centred around the role of Ch. Supt. David Duckenfield and his duty of care to supporters on the day.

The jurors were asked to consider not only whether Duckenfield had a duty of care to the 96 but also if he breached said duty of care, whether the breach caused the deaths and if that amounted to "gross negligence," per BBC. 

Pascal Rondeau/Getty Images

Per the same source, the jurors had to consider if the final point "amounted to a criminal act or omission."

Following Tuesday's verdict, Liverpool's legendary defender Jamie Carragher posted the following on Twitter:

Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney, born in Liverpool and a former Everton player, also reacted to the news:

The jurors had been hearing evidence into the case for two years and had been deliberating since April 6. The fresh hearing started in 2014 after the initial verdicts of accidental death—handed down in 1991—were quashed in 2012 by the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

As the Liverpool Echo's Barlow reported, as part of the trial, the jury heard from 560 witnesses on topics ranging from "stadium safety, planning and preparation, the events of the day, the emergency response and the evidence gathering."