Andrew Walker (barrister)

Andrew Walker is a British barrister and former deputy coroner for Hornsey, London. In June 2006 he was appointed as coroner to officiate over the inquests into the deaths of British military personnel. He is most notable for having made scathing statements regarding the prevailing attitudes of the British Ministry of Defence and United States Department of Defense, particularly with regard to so-called friendly fire, or "blue on blue" incidents. In the course of the inquests he has attempted to summon several high profile witnesses, including Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. He has also criticised the U.S. military for refusing to send their personnel to give evidence at the inquests.

In the case of the death of ITN reporter Terry Lloyd, who was shot in the head and killed by U.S. forces in southern Iraq in March 2003, Walker recorded a verdict of "Unlawful Killing", the strongest a coroner can record, and called for the Attorney general and Director of Public Prosecutions to consider pressing criminal charges against the U.S. servicemen involved.

The inquest into the death of British non-commissioned officer Lance-Corporal of Horse Matty Hull led to an international diplomatic crisis after Walker demanded the release to him as evidence the cockpit data and video recording of the events leading up to U.S. National Guard airmen negligently opening fire on a British convoy in southern Iraq, resulting in Hull's death. The video was eventually "leaked" to the tabloid newspaper The Sun, whose global publication of it subsequently placed it into the public domain with regard to its submission as evidence. The Ministry of Defence claimed they had no copyright over the video, and that the U.S. was witholding it from publication.

Within 24 hours of its airing on the internet as well as major T.V. news channels, the U.S. military declassified the video.