Stephen Lawrence murder trial begins at Old Bailey

[yardbird]

Will she now get done for perjury?

I was wondering if both mothers could be done for perjury ?

 

[Lock&Light]

The forensic evidence seems very weak.

But it was the drop that made the pail pour over.

 

[TopCat]

well, the jury was convinced

Were you? Or was anyone here convinced by the forensic evidence? The only bit that rang true for me was the blood stain (minute) that was found on Dobson's jacket lining and had to have been liquid when it came into contact with the garment.

 

[Lock&Light]

Were you? Or was anyone here convinced by the forensic evidence? The only bit that rang true for me was the blood stain (minute) that was found on Dobson's jacket lining and had to have been liquid when it came into contact with the garment.

That seems like enough, to me.

 

[bignose1]

FUCKING YES!

There were fucking tears in our office just now and were having a few beers after 4. Having met and talked with both of Stephen's parents over the years I know how much this will mean to them.
As for the Acourts and Knight.....maybe your next.

 

[bignose1]

A busted nose and four broken ribs apparently.

What a shame.

Watch out for the soap trick

 

[London_Calling]

well, the jury was convinced

Of their guilt, no question.

Based on that evidence, well....

You'd have trouble finding a jury in London that wasn't at least a little 'unsympathetic' to these two.

 

[dtb]

Were you? Or was anyone here convinced by the forensic evidence? The only bit that rang true for me was the blood stain (minute) that was found on Dobson's jacket lining and had to have been liquid when it came into contact with the garment.

i have similar feelings about the evidence, does seem like they've got a good case for appeal

 

[Spymaster]

There were fucking tears in our office just now and were having a few beers after 4.

Yeah, a few of us are going over the pub to raise a glass shortly.

Worrying about the appeal now.

 

[ymu]

Fucking excellent news.

The point about the forensics is precisely the blood spot that had to have been liquid when it contacted the jacket - a point the defence did not dispute. OJ got off because a similar thing was proven - but that's because the police tried to fit him up (by, for eg, pouring some of his blood sample onto one of his socks). The wet blood in this case proves that Dobson was present when Stephen was killed. It's not possible to dismiss all of the forensics as contamination, which makes it less likely that the other forensics were due to contamination.

I can't see an appeal being likely when they have just admitted being at the scene but not ringleaders, according to their lawyers statement. For a lesser charge, maybe, but they won't directly overturn this verdict on forensic grounds.

 

[temper_tantrum]

Full judgement on decision to quash Dobson's aquittal has now been released:
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/r-v-dobson-judgment-18052011.pdf

(relates to the revoked double-jeopardy law; he has been tried 2ce).

Edit: 'No application to quash the acquittals of Neil Acourt and Luke Knight is before the court' (YET).

 

[DotCommunist]

knowing SFA about forensics, I was assuming something about the process was told to the jury that convinced them.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

As said earlier, Dobson, in mitigation has intimated that he was there, but wasn't the prime mover, so I think it's probably just a matter of time before the others are up for trial too. I'm not worried about an appeal.

 

[Spymaster]

I can't see an appeal being likely when they have just admitted being at the scene but not ringleaders, according to their lawyers statement ....

Wonder if they'll grass Acourt and Knight now.

 

[London_Calling]

Do you really? I don't.

RE: an appeal:

Tellingly, they did not produce a single expert to testify in support of their claims that contamination had somehow produced the evidence against them.

 

[KeeperofDragons]

It's taken long enough but it is justice of a sorts as some of Stephen's attackers have still not been brought to trial

 

[ymu]

Wonder if they'll grass Acourt and Knight now.

Looks like they might. Dobson, at least, seems to have cracked already. Seems most likely that these two really were more on the periphery too, if they didn't bother getting rid of the clothes they were wearing, as the Acourts certainly did and Knight probably did too.

Let's hope they really go for it in their mitigation hearing.

 

[ddraig]

and still confident racist scum in Eltham

​

@jonsnowC4Jon Snow​

Our crew filming point where Stephen Lawyrence died had racial abuse shouted at them from a passing white van:locals say it is commonplace​

4 minutes ago via web​

 

[temper_tantrum]

Let's hope they really go for it in their mitigation hearing.

They've had it, haven't they? Court's finished for the day. Sentencing 11.30am tomorrow.

 

[teqniq]

Result!

 

[Streathamite]

At long last - justice.

 

[colacubes]

and still confident racist scum in Eltham

​

@jonsnowC4Jon Snow​

Our crew filming point where Stephen Lawyrence died had racial abuse shouted at them from a passing white van:locals say it is commonplace​

4 minutes ago via web​

On Radio 5 they were saying that one of their crews went into a local pub to ask people about the verdict and were told by the locals that it wasn't the sort of pub they should be asking questions about it in.

 

[BlackArab]

A day I thought I'd never see come. I came close to being in a similair situation myself around the same time except we turned on the bullying cunts rather than running. I really hope every black prisoner in the system has been following this case.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I can't see an appeal being likely when they have just admitted being at the scene but not ringleaders, according to their lawyers statement. For a lesser charge, maybe, but they won't directly overturn this verdict on forensic grounds.

Can't be a lesser charge, they have both been convicted of murder. They can only be sentenced to life. What their briefs have been quibbling about since the verdict is mitigation to be reflected in the minimum recommendation they each receive as to how long they must serve before they can be considered for parole. An agreement to grass at this, or a later stage would be reflected in the min. rec.

What I do not know, will the min. rec. be set at today's rates, or as if they'd been sentenced at the time of the attack? Back in the mid 90's the min. recs. were a fair bit less that they are today.

 

[yardbird]

On Radio 5 they were saying that one of their crews went into a local pub to ask people about the verdict and were told by the locals that it wasn't the sort of pub they should be asking questions about it in.

I was taken aback when I heard this, but then thought about it

 

[TopCat]

A day I thought I'd never see come. I came close to being in a similair situation myself around the same time except we turned on the bullying cunts rather than running. I really hope every black prisoner in the system has been following this case.

Similar situations have happened quite a lot. Terry May for instance.

 

[bmd]

So pleased about this verdict, justice for the Lawrence family at last.

 

[Stoat Boy]

I was taken aback when I heard this, but then thought about it

The problem is that the South London rumour mill has been alive with all sorts of rumours. Throw in a jury selection process that leaves a lot to be desired (nobody living in Eltham or the surrounding boroughs was allowed to be selected) and there will be a local sense of injustice, that somehow the whole case was rigged against them from the beginning and people living in the area have been vilified ever since the murder, rather un-justly I feel.

I have no doubts that these boys were guilty (although I have my doubts about how the second trial was bought around) but the whole manner of it has been diversive on many levels and there will be a perception amongsts sections of the white working class community that essentially the system will go to all sorts of lengths to secure a conviction if a racial attack is carried out by whites against non-whites but not the other way. Now you can argue against this but that does not alter what people will feel.

Personally I think they were the sort of arseholes who just got a kick out of hurting anybody who was different to them be in skin colour, hair style or even football team but that the vilification of an entire section of the areas population that occured was totally out of order.

Still the Establishment got the result it wanted along with a change in the law that could back fire in years to come against people for whom a lot of you probably have more sympathy.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

oh fuck, I agree with Peter Bottomley now...

if more people could bring up their children like Doreen and Neville Lawrence brought up theirs and fewer people can be brought up like some of the attackers it would be a far better society

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Terry May for instance.

Who? Google tells me nothing about what you are alluding to here.