Emily Mortimer, known for her role in Paddington, has been cast as Dame Cressida Dick, a former high-ranking officer in the Metropolitan Police, in an upcoming drama centered on the shooting incident involving Jean Charles de Menezes.
Dame Cressida was in charge during the operation leading to the shooting of Mr. de Menezes at a London Tube station on July 22, 2005. Police mistakenly believed he was a terrorist linked to prior failed bombing attempts that occurred a day earlier.
Disney+ revealed on Tuesday that the series titled “Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes” is set to premiere this spring.
Following the incident, the Metropolitan Police faced legal scrutiny, and Dame Cressida was exonerated of personal responsibility in a 2007 trial.
The 27-year-old Brazilian electrician was shot at Stockwell underground station just two weeks following the July 7 terror attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 52 individuals. He was misidentified as Hussain Osman, a would-be suicide bomber involved in the failed attacks on July 21, 2005.
His shooting incited protests in both the UK and Brazil, led to widespread criticism of police methods, and drew an apology from then-Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Over four years after Mr. de Menezes’ death, the Metropolitan Police agreed to compensate his family, estimated to be slightly more than £100,000. The police commissioner at the time issued “a further unreserved apology to the family,” emphasizing that Mr. de Menezes was “a completely innocent victim and in no way to blame for his untimely death.”
Disney+ announced that the parents and relatives of Jean Charles de Menezes are acting as consultants for the series. The narrative will be delivered from various viewpoints of those involved, highlighting how both accurate and skewed memories can influence the perception of truth.
In addition to Mortimer, the cast features Conleth Hill as Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair, Russell Tovey as Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick, and newcomer Edison Alcaide portraying Mr. de Menezes.
During a 2008 inquest regarding Mr. de Menezes’ death, Dame Cressida expressed profound personal sadness over the incident but maintained, “If you ask me whether I think anybody did anything wrong or unreasonable on the operation, I don’t think they did.”
She ascended through the ranks to become the first female commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2017, eventually resigning in February 2022, citing that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, “no longer has sufficient confidence in my leadership.”
