Court quashes Hillsborough verdict

LONDON — After nearly a quarter of a century, the families of the victims of Britain's worst sports disaster are closer than ever in their campaign for the truth.

Britain's High Court and the government delivered twin decisions Wednesday that marked significant milestones in the relatives' search for justice over the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy in which 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death.

A new criminal investigation was ordered by the home secretary, and about an hour later, Britain's top judge overturned the original ruling that the 96 deaths at the F.A. Cup semifinal match were accidental.

"I'd like a corporate manslaughter verdict in the inquest — it's the least for what they have done," said Anne Williams, whose 15-year-old son, Kevin, died at Hillsborough.

Williams was in a wheelchair inside the court on Wednesday, weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. Now she has renewed hope that she will live to see the full truth about her son's death established in court.

"I am glad we never gave up. It has been hard," Williams said. "God willing, I will be here, it has been a long wait to see justice."

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NFL retirees file court complaint

Minneapolis — While NFL owners and players appear to be inching toward a resolution of the league's long lockout, a group of retired players is clamoring to be more involved in the discussions.

The group filed a class-action complaint against the owners and current players in federal court Monday, saying they have been excluded from the mediation sessions taking place in an attempt to end the lockout.

Named plaintiffs, including Hall of Famers Carl Eller, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen and Paul Krause, are asking U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson to put a halt to the mediation she ordered and declare that the current players cannot negotiate on behalf of those who are retired.

The retired players say that NFL owners, the NFL Players' Association and a group of current players, including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, are "conspiring to depress the amounts of pension and disability benefits to be paid to former NFL players in order to maximize the salaries and benefits to current NFL players."

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