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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Lawrence trial: Not jury's job to right racism - defence | Lawrence trial: Not jury's job to right racism - defence |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Jurors in the Stephen Lawrence murder trial have been urged not to convict the defendants on the basis that if they do not "racism will have won". | Jurors in the Stephen Lawrence murder trial have been urged not to convict the defendants on the basis that if they do not "racism will have won". |
| Stephen Batten QC, for David Norris, 35, who with co-defendant Gary Dobson, 36, denies murdering the black teenager in Eltham, south London, in 1993, was making his closing speech. | Stephen Batten QC, for David Norris, 35, who with co-defendant Gary Dobson, 36, denies murdering the black teenager in Eltham, south London, in 1993, was making his closing speech. |
| Mr Batten told the jury: "Conscience is nothing without objectivity." | Mr Batten told the jury: "Conscience is nothing without objectivity." |
| He described forensic evidence linking Mr Norris to the murder as "waffle". | He described forensic evidence linking Mr Norris to the murder as "waffle". |
| Mr Lawrence, 18, was stabbed at a bus stop after he was set upon by a group of white youths. | Mr Lawrence, 18, was stabbed at a bus stop after he was set upon by a group of white youths. |
| 'Senseless death' | 'Senseless death' |
| Mr Batten urged the four women and eight men of the jury to keep their objectivity when making a decision on the five-week case. | Mr Batten urged the four women and eight men of the jury to keep their objectivity when making a decision on the five-week case. |
| He said the defendants had been faced with a prosecution outside court from the media since 1993. | He said the defendants had been faced with a prosecution outside court from the media since 1993. |
| "Do you have a sense that the well meaning still feel unless there is a conviction some time in the case of Stephen Lawrence and his senseless death, that somehow racism would have won?" Mr Batten asked. | |
| He added: "Racism has long since lost any shred of respect, even one might say, in football. | He added: "Racism has long since lost any shred of respect, even one might say, in football. |
| "The last 18 years since Stephen Lawrence's death has been an enormous help in getting rid of racism. | "The last 18 years since Stephen Lawrence's death has been an enormous help in getting rid of racism. |
| "The country has come a long way since 1993." | "The country has come a long way since 1993." |
| He asked the jurors that if, when they retire to reach verdicts, they would feel "some extra weight of responsibility" compared to other juries. | He asked the jurors that if, when they retire to reach verdicts, they would feel "some extra weight of responsibility" compared to other juries. |
| 'Keep oath' | 'Keep oath' |
| He suggested that after the trial had concluded jurors should take a tour of the historic Old Bailey building, where it is being held. | He suggested that after the trial had concluded jurors should take a tour of the historic Old Bailey building, where it is being held. |
| They should pay particular attention to a plaque put up to two Quaker jurors who were jailed in 1670 for not returning a verdict they were told to, he said. That had led to the right of jurors to return verdicts in accordance to their consciences. | They should pay particular attention to a plaque put up to two Quaker jurors who were jailed in 1670 for not returning a verdict they were told to, he said. That had led to the right of jurors to return verdicts in accordance to their consciences. |
| "They kept their oath and we encourage you to keep yours," he said. | "They kept their oath and we encourage you to keep yours," he said. |
| Mr Batten cast doubt on forensic evidence linking his client to the murder. | Mr Batten cast doubt on forensic evidence linking his client to the murder. |
| He said key prosecution evidence that a 2mm hair from Mr Lawrence had been found on the jeans of Mr Norris was "not safe". | He said key prosecution evidence that a 2mm hair from Mr Lawrence had been found on the jeans of Mr Norris was "not safe". |
| He said one scientist who testified, Dr Terry Melton, had spoken "like a politician" by avoiding straight answers. | He said one scientist who testified, Dr Terry Melton, had spoken "like a politician" by avoiding straight answers. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Dobson's barrister told the jury that forensic findings presented by the prosecution in the trial did not "fit with the wider picture given by the rest of the evidence". | On Wednesday, Mr Dobson's barrister told the jury that forensic findings presented by the prosecution in the trial did not "fit with the wider picture given by the rest of the evidence". |
| Tim Roberts QC said traces of blood and fibres found on his client's clothing were the result of police contamination. | Tim Roberts QC said traces of blood and fibres found on his client's clothing were the result of police contamination. |
| No eyewitness had placed Mr Dobson at the scene of the attack, he added. | No eyewitness had placed Mr Dobson at the scene of the attack, he added. |
| The trial has been adjourned for Christmas. | The trial has been adjourned for Christmas. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Treacy, will sum up 28 December. He told the jury that it would begin considering verdicts by end of next week. | The judge, Mr Justice Treacy, will sum up 28 December. He told the jury that it would begin considering verdicts by end of next week. |