Jury faces High Court bedrooms if they fail to reach a verdict by 8pm

The jury in the inquest into the deaths of three policemen and a bank security guard is expected to start deliberations today on evidence from 116 witnesses heard over 34 days.

The five-member jury sat down on February 26 when Coroner Michael Chan Pik-kiu began the inquiry into the deaths of constables Tsui Po-ko, Tsang Kwok-hang and Leung Shing-yan, and bank guard Zafar Iqbal Khan.

Yesterday Mr Chan directed the jury, which includes two women, to give their conclusions on the causes of the deaths, and to ascertain how, when and where the four had died.

But they will not determine any civil liability or compensation - issues for a civil court, not a coroner's court - or apportion blame.

An inquest jury has the right to examine every witness, but none of the jurors raised any questions.

During their deliberations, expected to begin this afternoon, the jurors are forbidden to be in contact with anyone apart from their fellow jury members. They will stay together in the jury room, and they will not be allowed to make phone calls to family members or friends so that their discussion is kept 'absolutely private'.