The reform of the double jeopardy law and the conviction of the murderers of Stephen Lawrence may be the landmark event that can end racial tensions in Britain…
26 February 2012
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Stephen Lawrence was the Black British teenager from Eltham, South East London, murdered in April 1993 simply because his skin was the wrong colour. The Bridge MAG. Image
It was public outrage over the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence and the ensuing removal of a longstanding legal principle that made the prosecution of Gary Dobson and David Norris possible. Lawrence, an 18-year-old sixth form student from Eltham, South London, was stabbed to death on the night of April 22, 1993, by a gang of white youths.
It was an unprovoked attack that saw him killed simply because his skin was the wrong colour. Yet the initial police investigation into his death was botched so badly that the five suspects accused of his murder walked free – and many campaigners, including his parents’, Neville and Doreen, never thought they would see them behind bars.
But, as Tom Whitehead, the Daily Telegraph’s Home Affairs Editor, reflected on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, justice was finally done earlier this year thanks to a decision, by then Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw, more than a decade after the event, to change the law to allow individuals charged but not convicted of a crime to be retried in light of new compelling evidence.
As Whitehead recalled: “The law of double jeopardy meant no one could be tried twice for the same crime but that legal principle was abolished in 2005 following a series of high profile campaigns.
“The Lawrence murder played a key part and Sir William Macpherson recommended the law be changed following his inquiry in to the case in 1999.
“However, that situation changed with the 2003 Criminal Justice Act 2003, which abolished the double jeopardy rule for serious crimes and which came in to effect two years later.
Jack Straw the UK Justice Secretary and The Double Jeopardy Law. The Bridge MAG. Image
“Crucially, it was also retrospective meaning it did not matter whether an alleged offence had occurred before 2005. “Under the new system, a suspect can be tried again for the same offence if there is -new, compelling, reliable and substantial evidence- which had not been previously available…
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Rachel Tcheungna, Author, Writer of
The Bridge Books and
The Bridge Magazine Editor.
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Dear All,
A massive thank you for all your comments that I receive everyday regarding my articles.
Just to note: if I do not reply to your comments individually it is because there is an overload of comments in my dashboard but I do see all your feedback and comments and we, the team at The Bridge Magazine 🗞️🌍
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The Editor 🗞️🌍
Rachel Tcheungna 👱🏾♀️
Chers tous, chères toutes,
Un immense merci pour tous vos commentaires et mots d’encouragement que je reçois tous les jours concernant mes articles. C’est fort apprécié.
Juste pour vous dire : si je ne réponds pas à vos commentaires individuellement, c’est parce qu’il y a une avalanche de milliers de commentaires au quotidien dans mon tableau de bord. Je vous rassure que je vois toutes vos mises à jour et tous vos commentaires et nous, l’équipe de The Bridge Magazine 🗞️🌍 vous en sommes éternellement reconnaissants.
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