It was hard for me, but much harder for Maria de Menezes. Sitting in a posh London hotel with a translator, I first asked about watching the new series about Jean Charles de Menezes which shows all aspects of his life, including the moment her son was shot dead in 2005.
Tears formed as she told me through a translator she couldn’t think straight for days after watching it. And then I asked her about her thoughts about the police involved and if she could ever forgive them. She explained the pain they had brought her for the last two decades, but how now with the help of the programme she was trying to move forwards.
“I forgive, but I cannot accept what they have done because they destroyed my son’s life. But I’ve come to realise that I don’t want to keep this hatred inside my heart because I don’t want this for myself.”
I’m not embarrassed to admit I fought back a tear as I tried to compose myself and ask a follow up question. I had found watching the programme difficult too and I wanted to check I understood what she was saying and she really was finding some forgiveness for the first time.
Her voice wavering a little, she told me: “It is hard to forgive, but this series is bringing some sort of relief to us, revealing what the police did and all the lies. So this is helping a lot.” It was lovely to hear that a TV drama can bring about something so positive.
Twenty years ago her beloved son Jean Charles was shot dead by British police, a nightmare that has continued to scar her life for the next two decades. As if losing him wasn’t enough there was a stream of misinformation that came out and was reported which implied he was at fault on the day cops shot him seven times in the head.
And then there was an inquest in 2008 ruling out unlawful killing and returning an open verdict and a defeat in the courts in 2016 when they tried to charge the police over the shooting.
But now 20 years on there is some light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a Disney+ series called Suspect. Led by the brilliant screenwriter Jeff Pope, a team has spent years going through documents, speaking to eye witnesses and even police who held guns that fateful day in Stockwell tube station.
The result is a drama which shows how unfortunate Jean Charles was and most of all how hardworking and innocent he was. Anyone watching will be left in no doubt who was to blame and who was blameless.
That is what is giving Maria comfort and I think also why, along with her faith, she has learned to forgive police for the horrific things they did. Her son would be so proud of everything she has done.
Jean Charles’ brother also spoke to me and made it clear although there is some forgiveness, they would like more from the Met police.
Giovani said: “We think that with the series showing the reality of what actually happened, there’ll be some sort of acknowledgement of the mistakes that were made. And if the police want to maybe clear their name, this might spark some sort of contact with us, because we were never happy with the results of the inquests.”
I hope millions of people watch Suspect and see for themselves the true story of Jean Charles de Menezes.
* All episodes of ‘Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes’ will launch on April 30, exclusively on Disney+.
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