Court sees Rigby suspects shooting footage
- Published
The Old Bailey jury in the trial of two men accused of killing soldier Lee Rigby have been shown footage of the aftermath of the attack in Woolwich, south-east London, on 22 May. Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, deny murder.
The two men are shown carrying a cleaver and a gun after the attack on Fusilier Rigby. One eyewitness, Michelle Nimmo, told the court that the men 'stood around looking proud and posing with the gun and knives' and made no attempt to run away.
An armed police officer said she thought Michael Adebolajo was going to kill her as he ran towards marksmen waving his hands in a chopping motion. The officer, identified only as D49, said in a statement that she 'instantly' thought she would die.
She then saw a second suspect, said to be Mr Adebowale, holding a gun. "I thought, 'Oh my God, he's going to shoot me.' I feared for my life," her statement said.
Video footage of Mr Adebolajo charging towards the officers and flying into the air as he was shot was played to the court. Mr Adebowale was also seen falling to the ground.
A second officer, E48, said he saw Mr Adebowale, who was lying on the ground after being shot, raise his arm in the air before being shot again in the thumb.
D49 kept her gun trained on Mr Adebolajo as he lay on the ground, while a second officer, E48, was seen rushing back to the police car to get a medical kit. He and another officer then administered first aid to Mr Adebowale.
Earlier in the hearing a letter handed to passer-by Amanda Donnelly Martin by Mr Adebolajo was read to the jury. Addressed to "my beloved children", it told them to seek martyrdom.
The letter states: "If you find yourself curious as to why carnage is reaching your own towns then know it's simply retaliation for your oppression in our towns."