Stephen Lawrence - 15 years on

[Warrior-Maid]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Stephen's death.

He was stabbed to death at the age of 18 by a racist gang in South East London. No one has ever been prosecuted for this crime.

Due in the main part to the campaigning of his parents there have been many changes since his murder to race relations, policing and law.

The names of the suspected killers are widely known, it is possible with new DNA evidence that finally they may be brought to charge for this crime.

[Mark]

There was an article in the Daily Mail a couple of days back, about what has become of the suspects in this case. As ever with the witless underclass, it seems that they have achieved absolutely nothing in their pointless lives. It just serves to underline what a cabal of worthless individuals they are. Justice really needs to be done in this case, and better late than never.

No matter what one feels about the issue of immigration, or large areas of London becoming third world ghetto's, there is never any excuse to physically attack people because of those issues. It is not the fault of the immigrants, we would do they same in their situation. The fault is fully with the present and past governments.

Unfortunately, the uneducated underclass don't have the intellectual capacity to use common sense and reason to see what the real issues are. They just see it as a dog would see another mut peeing up their lamp post. The comparison of animals with the underclass is a justified one I feel, their respective behaviours dove-tail to a remarkable level.

[Warrior-Maid]

I saw that article Mark, without wanting to defend the gang in any way I would imagine their notoriety has made them unemployable.

In a way though, although they have their freedom, its a freedom spent constantly spent looking over their shoulders and waiting for the knock on the door that surely must come one day. As you say, better late than never.

[jason_andrew_relva]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Stephen's death.

He was stabbed to death at the age of 18 by a racist gang in South East London. No one has ever been prosecuted for this crime.

Due in the main part to the campaigning of his parents there have been many changes since his murder to race relations, policing and law.

The names of the suspected killers are widely known, it is possible with new DNA evidence that finally they may be brought to charge for this crime.

It is a shame that in order to bring justice we may have to destroy the safeguard of double jeopardy after the parents of Stephen brought an ill-advised civil case. I feel for the parents in that they felt so compelled to act this way but whichever lawyer/solicitor advised them to take up the case should be thrown from the profession for this idiocy.

[Warrior-Maid]

It is a shame that in order to bring justice we may have to destroy the safeguard of double jeopardy after the parents of Stephen brought an ill-advised civil case. I feel for the parents in that they felt so compelled to act this way but whichever lawyer/solicitor advised them to take up the case should be thrown from the profession for this idocy.

I wouldn't agree that the double jeopardy law has been destroyed. My understanding is that you can be tried twice for the same crime, but there has to be fresh and compelling evidence which was not submitted at the original trial.

[jason_andrew_relva]

I wouldn't agree that the double jeopardy law has been destroyed. My understanding is that you can be tried twice for the same crime, but there has to be fresh and compelling evidence which was not submitted at the original trial.

Precisely, for 800 years if acquitted of a crime you could not be retried for the same crime. This law was altered in 2005 to allow a second trial, as you say, if there is new evidence. This increases the chances of innocent people being convicted of crimes. Strangely enough this is one of a very small number of law changes to be applied retrospectively - another staple of justice torn up in the hunt for populism.

[Warrior-Maid]

Precisely, for 800 years if acquitted of a crime you could not be retried for the same crime. This law was altered in 2005 to allow a second trial, as you say, if there is new evidence. This increases the chances of innocent people being convicted of crimes. Strangely enough this is one of a very small number of law changes to be applied retrospectively - another staple of justice torn up in the hunt for populism.

There is always the risk of the innocent being found guilty, I would be interested to know how many times, if at all a 2nd trial has been arranged since the law change.

I would assume that the new evidence must be pretty damning in order to reach a court and indeed secure a conviction.

To go back to Stephen, the police handling the investigation at the time, to be blunt, ****ed up. His parents deserve and need closure.

[jason_andrew_relva]

To go back to Stephen, the police handling the investigation at the time, to be blunt, ****ed up. His parents deserve and need closure.

I must agree with you there, the Macpherson report was pretty damning and rightly so. Despite his critics at the time I think the majority of the 70 recommendations made by Macpherson were desperately needed.

[Tracy]

I can't believe that was 15 years ago :( I hope thugs who did this get what they deserve

[rachelwitty]

i can't believe it's 15 years and no one has been arrested over the death. the UK public are obviously still scared to speak out against these killers (let's face it, it's moer than 1 person).

either that or the police are just not bothered about the murder of a black teenager by white thugs (I'm assuming they are / were white here)