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Stephen Lawrence trial: David Norris says he is innocent Stephen Lawrence trial: David Norris says he is innocent
(about 1 hour later)
Murder suspect David Norris has told the Old Bailey he cannot remember where he was when Stephen Lawrence died but he was not involved in the killing.Murder suspect David Norris has told the Old Bailey he cannot remember where he was when Stephen Lawrence died but he was not involved in the killing.
Mr Norris said he was an "innocent man" and had not been in Eltham, south London, where Mr Lawrence was killed.Mr Norris said he was an "innocent man" and had not been in Eltham, south London, where Mr Lawrence was killed.
He said he was "ashamed" of secretly recorded comments made in 1994 in which he said he would torture black people.He said he was "ashamed" of secretly recorded comments made in 1994 in which he said he would torture black people.
Mr Norris, 35, and Gary Dobson, 36, deny murdering Mr Lawrence, 18, who was stabbed in April 1993.Mr Norris, 35, and Gary Dobson, 36, deny murdering Mr Lawrence, 18, who was stabbed in April 1993.
During questioning by prosecutor Mark Ellison QC, Mr Norris was repeatedly asked what he had been doing on the night the teenager died.During questioning by prosecutor Mark Ellison QC, Mr Norris was repeatedly asked what he had been doing on the night the teenager died.
The defendant insisted that he had not been in the area where the murder took place. The defendant said he had not been in the area where the murder took place.
He said: "You are accusing me of murder. I am an innocent man."He said: "You are accusing me of murder. I am an innocent man."
He insisted he had not been in the Eltham area on 22 April 1993, when Mr Lawrence was fatally stabbed.He insisted he had not been in the Eltham area on 22 April 1993, when Mr Lawrence was fatally stabbed.
Mr Ellison asked: "How do you know that?"Mr Ellison asked: "How do you know that?"
"Because I am innocent," replied Mr Norris. "Because I am innocent," replied Mr Norris, who was 16 when Mr Lawrence died.
Racism apology
The year after Mr Lawrence's death, Mr Norris was caught on a police surveillance video shot over several days, which shows the two defendants interacting with various friends and acquaintances.The year after Mr Lawrence's death, Mr Norris was caught on a police surveillance video shot over several days, which shows the two defendants interacting with various friends and acquaintances.
Mr Norris told the jury: "I apologise for what you've had to listen to in the courtroom."Mr Norris told the jury: "I apologise for what you've had to listen to in the courtroom."
Extracts of the surveillance footage, shot at co-defendant Mr Dobson's flat in Eltham, were played in court again.Extracts of the surveillance footage, shot at co-defendant Mr Dobson's flat in Eltham, were played in court again.
Mr Norris was captured using extreme racist and the most sexually explicit language to describe how he would kill black people, people of Pakistani origin and police officers.Mr Norris was captured using extreme racist and the most sexually explicit language to describe how he would kill black people, people of Pakistani origin and police officers.
Later he went on: "I would go down Catford and places like that I am telling you now, with two sub machine guns." Later, he went on: "I would go down Catford and places like that I am telling you now, with two sub machine guns."
Using the same racist and sexually explicit language he said he would take a black person, torture them, skin them alive and set them alight. Using the same racist and sexually explicit language, he said he would take a black person, torture them, skin them alive and set them alight.
"I would blow their two arms and legs off and say 'go on, you can swim home now'. They would be bobbing around like that.""I would blow their two arms and legs off and say 'go on, you can swim home now'. They would be bobbing around like that."
Under further questioning, Mr Norris told the court he could not explain how fibres which could have matched those from Mr Lawrence's clothes, as well as hair containing the dead man's DNA, were found on clothing taken from his bedroom. Mr Norris said he had been angry after being accused of murder and "wouldn't dream of doing something like that".
He said: "I got accused of a murder, a terrible murder, and I was angry, especially with the police force... I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm far from perfect, but to accuse me of murder. I was angry, very angry."
The defendant told the court that people would swear at him and threaten him after he was accused of the killing.
"I had to see my mum cry herself to sleep every night and it broke my heart," he said.
However, Mr Norris denied being racially prejudiced at the time despite using racist insults.
Forensic evidence
The defendant's barrister, Stephen Batten QC, put it to him: "It's not just using language Mr Norris, it's holding views. Did you as a boy aged 16 not just use impolite language about black people but were you prejudiced against them?"
To this, Mr Norris replied: "No I would say I was not, I just said words and didn't really know what I was saying."
The court has heard that hair found in an evidence bag used to store Mr Norris's jeans matched Mr Lawrence's DNA.
And fibres were found on Mr Norris's sweatshirt which potentially came from Mr Lawrence's clothes.
The defence legal team has suggested that the clothes could have been contaminated after they were seized by police.
Mr Norris told the court he could not explain how the fibres and hair were found on clothing taken from his bedroom.
Clothing questions
The defendant said the clothing was not his and he had moved to the room only a week before.The defendant said the clothing was not his and he had moved to the room only a week before.
Asked if there could be an innocent explanation, he told the court: "If I don't know who killed that Stephen Lawrence, then I don't know if I bumped into them." The jury was also shown pictures of the defendant's brother wearing the clothes while out fishing.
Mr Batten asked the defendant: "Did you have anything to do with the death of Stephen Lawrence?"
Mr Norris replied: "Certainly not sir, no."
Asked if there could be an innocent explanation for the clothing link, he told the court: "If I don't know who killed that Stephen Lawrence, then I don't know if I bumped into them."
Questioned about whether it could have been one of his friends, Mr Norris replied: "I don't know. They told me they had nothing to do with it and I believe them."Questioned about whether it could have been one of his friends, Mr Norris replied: "I don't know. They told me they had nothing to do with it and I believe them."
The defence legal team has suggested that the clothes could have been contaminated after they were seized by police.
The trial continues.The trial continues.