Stephen Lawrence murder

Don't know about all of you but l'm really, really glad Dobson and Norris are back in the dock over this, it's about time Stephen got justice. Just goes to show 18 years later, justice will catch up with you.

The press are being very quiet over it all, probably wishing not to jeopardise the trial.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15716320

Stephen Lawrence murder trial begins at Old Bailey



The trial of Gary Dobson and David Norris is expected to last until Christmas

Two men have appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence 18 years ago.

The 18-year-old A-level student was stabbed to death by a gang of white youths in Eltham, south-east London, on 22 April 1993.

Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, both of south London, deny the charges.

The high-profile killing at a bus stop prompted a public inquiry into the Metropolitan Police's handling of the case.

Stephen's parents Doreen and Neville arrived at the Old Bailey to witness the start of the trial before Mr Justice Treacy.

A jury is due to be sworn in on Tuesday and the case is expected to last around two months.

The prosecution is led by Mark Ellison QC, Mr Dobson is being defended by Timothy Roberts QC, and Stephen Batten QC is representing Mr Norris.

Be interesting to see how they deal with the Police corruption which it is alleged occured to protect norris and his mates.They are a nasty gang of men,all five of them.and probably a few more if truth be told.
Lots of Political pressure for a conviction now i guess,but will they want to drag the Met through the mire i wonder.

You're right Lioned, it was alleged one of the boys dads was paying the police off - he certainly seemed to get off with whatever crime he was charged or suspected of.

I'm following this on twitter. They say they have new scientific evidence where's Stephen's DNA has been found on the defendants' clothing. Is it right to assume that this is now possible because of advances in procedures during the last 18 years rather than it being missed in the first place?

Edit: I now have the answer sorry


skynewsgatherer Harriet Tolputt
In 1990s scientists thought fibres would quickly fall off clothing and only a one way search was done.
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
»
CourtNewsUK
CourtNewsUK CourtNewsUK
Scientific advances allowed smaller bloodstains to be traced#stephenlawrence
5 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Hi Chrissie, yes it's not unusual for a team to go over a 'cold case' especially if there's any evidence they could get DNA from.

I find if very hard for the jury to find these two guilty.


It's been thrown out off court once .



Perhaps the advance in DNA will prove me wrong.


I mean, why these two when before it was all off them together.

They're the only two that DNA evidence can link to Stephen (from fibres from the clothes they were wearing that night on Stephens clothes?).

Maybe advances will place the other three there too one day, in any case they'll be looking over their shoulders forever.

Duwayne Brook's is in the witness box this morning. Apparently his father died last night but he still wants to give evidence. How terrible for him. :-(

chrissie wrote:Duwayne Brook's is in the witness box this morning. Apparently his father died last night but he still wants to give evidence. How terrible for him. :-(

He's on Twitter chrissie @DuwayneBrooks. He's a really intelligent lad.

The prosecutions evidence is looking ridiculously flimsy.Just one suggestion of contamination and the case looks desperate.
Which is maybe what it is actually.As i guess the pressure to get a conviction on these two,and probably the others as well,has always been there behind the scenes.
Just hope its not another multi million pound waste of money bought at the tax payers expense.

Dobson and Norris found guilty of murder. They will be sentenced tomorrow.

Great news. Dobson and Norris are both guilty.

Let's hope the rest of that gang will be tied to this murder one day, they must be twitchy.

RIP Stephen, finally 18 years later you have some justice.

margaret wrote:Great news. Dobson and Norris are both guilty.

Let's hope the rest of that gang will be tied to this murder one day, they must be twitchy.

RIP Stephen, finally 18 years later you have some justice.

Well said Margaret. Justice has been a long time coming but it did arrive. (even if they will probably appeal)

chrissie wrote:Dobson and Norris found guilty of murder. They will be sentenced tomorrow.

A good verdict, I think, and Stephen can rest in peace now and his parents have some sense of justice having been done for their son.

That is very good news,hope they get the rest of them.I fear the forensics a bit flimsy so an appeal is inevitable.

'But in a four-year-long cold case review, a fresh team of forensic scientists uncovered microscopic evidence linking the men to the murder - evidence that the police had held all along.

The material - bloodstains, clothing fibres and a single hair belonging to the teenager - were recovered from the clothes of the suspects which had been seized in 1993.

Scientists recovered the material using advanced techniques which were not available to the original case scientists.'

Hope the SY team looking at the Maddie case still have a bit of forensics to chew over.

Lioned wrote:That is very good news,hope they get the rest of them.I fear the forensics a bit flimsy so an appeal is inevitable.

'But in a four-year-long cold case review, a fresh team of forensic scientists uncovered microscopic evidence linking the men to the murder - evidence that the police had held all along.

The material - bloodstains, clothing fibres and a single hair belonging to the teenager - were recovered from the clothes of the suspects which had been seized in 1993.

Scientists recovered the material using advanced techniques which were not available to the original case scientists.'

Hope the SY team looking at the Maddie case still have a bit of forensics to chew over.

So do l lioned, but four years.....! I can't wait that long but l know l'll still be here.

THERE IS A PROGRAMME ON BB1 CALLED;STEPHEN LAWRENCE;TIME FOR JUSTICE AT 8PM

It would be interesting to find out what percentage of the alleles matched in this case? I understand the blood was microscopically tiny. So would it be 15 out of 19? Hope TM are quaking in their boots.

I think it was said there was a 1 in a Billion chance it wasn't his blood,so i suppose thats pretty conclusive.

Think it certain they will apeal especially thinking of the knox trial/appeal !!

In the meantime lets hope they get put in the Black persons wing.

Now don't jump down my throat....I know that these five or more murdered Steven Lawrence but allowing the video to be shown was, I think, the reason they got convicted and will serve 15 years or more.

The jury asked to see this video again and Im quite sure that this video will be used in their appeal as the supposed contaminated DNA in the Knox case was used and she got off with that.

They can use a video to convict someone yet they cant show emails and use them in a court off law.

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16142465

9:18pm UK, Wednesday January 04, 2012

David Bowden, senior news correspondent
Detectives investigating the killing of Stephen Lawrence say they have received new information in the past 24 hours about his death.

It comes as Gary Dobson and David Norris begin life sentences for their parts in Stephen's murder.

Scotland Yard said they have received a number of phone calls in light of the pair's conviction and sentencing.

Earlier, Britain's top policeman warned the others involved in the killing they "should not rest easily in their beds".

:: Dobson And Norris Jailed For Life

With detectives reportedly due to review the Lawrence case next week, Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said despite almost two decades, the investigation is not closed.

"The other people involved in the murder of Stephen Lawrence should not rest easily in their beds," he said.

"We are still investigating this case... If anyone out there has any more information or evidence, even after all this time, please tell us and we'll do the rest. All we need is help."

During sentencing, Mr Justice Treacy told the court: "Just as advances in science have brought two people to justice, I hope the Metropolitan Police will be alert to future lines of inquiry, not only based on developments in science but perhaps also information from those who have been silent so far, wherever they may be."

In the initial investigation into Stephen's murder, there were five suspects - including Dobson and Norris.

They were brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, and another youth, Luke Knight.

All three have always denied having anything to do with the attack on the black teenager in April 1993 in Eltham, southeast London.

Former Met Police detective Chief Supt Sue Hill worked on the Lawrence investigation and has revisited the scene since the guilty verdicts.

While Mr Justice Treacy, the Lawrence family and the Met Police chief have all repeated their assertion that the case is not closed, Chief Supt Hill believes further convictions will be difficult.

"I think the reality is, there clearly is no forensic evidence," she told Sky News.

"At this stage, unless other witnesses, associates, friends, [or] alliances change - Dobson and Norris, those two nasty individuals who have been put away, maybe there may be somebody out there who feels the confidence that they can come and provide some evidence.

"But the harsh reality is, I think this could be the end of the road."

It was minute forensic detail that led to the convictions of Dobson and Norris - tiny specks of blood and fibres from clothing analysed in a laboratory.

If there is similar evidence against other people, it has not come to light yet.

Notwithstanding the commitment of detectives to hunt down the other men involved in the murder of Lawrence, the truth is that unless new and credible witnesses come forward or other compelling evidence is uncovered, the chances of further convictions are remote.