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Stephen Lawrence (13 September 1974 – 22 April 1993) was a black British teenager from South-East London, who was stabbed to death in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus on the evening of 22 April 1993.^[1]

Five suspects were arrested after the initial investigation but were never convicted.^[2]

An inquiry, headed by Sir William MacPherson in 1999, into the original Metropolitan police investigation, famously concluded that the force was "institutionally racist". It became one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain.^[3]

Stephen Lawrence was born in 1974 to Jamaican parents, Neville and Doreen. At the time of his death he was an 'A' level sixth form student at secondary school hoping to become an architect.

Contents 1 Murder, trials, aftermath 1.1 Witnesses 1.2 Private Prosecution 1.3 Newspaper Headlines 1.4 New Evidence 2 Legacy 3 Public inquiries into the police investigation 3.1 Macpherson Report 3.2 Compensation 4 Alleged police corruption 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External links 7.1 BBC links

The attack happened at around 10:30pm on 22 April 1993 as Stephen waited with a friend Dwayne Brooks, at a bus stop in South-East London.

Mr Brooks called out to ask if Stephen saw the bus coming, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry describes one of the assailants saying: "What, What, Nigger?"^[4] as they all quickly crossed the road and 'engulfed' Lawrence who was then stabbed to a depth of about five inches on both sides of the front of his body to the chest and arm. Both stab wounds severed axillary arteries. Although he tried to escape, he collapsed and bled to death after running 119 metres (130 yards).^[5]

"It is surprising that he managed to get 130 yards with all the injuries he had, but also the fact :that the deep penetrating wound of the right side caused the upper lobe to partially collapse his :lung. It is therefore a testimony to Stephen's physical fitness that he was able to run the :distance he did before collapsing". - Pathologist, Dr Shepherd.

All three witnesses who were at the bus stop at the time of the attack said in statements that the attack was sudden and short but none was able later to identify any of the suspects.^[6]

In February, 1999, officers who were investigating the handling of the initial inquiry revealed that a woman had telephoned detectives three times within the first few days after the killing.^[7]

The police, in 2004 said: "The witness who appeared on the right of the scene and walked into Rochester Way with Stephen and Duwayne behind is very important to us. We know who this witness is, she knows who she is, we know what she knows. She has never made a statement. This witness may have been the catalyst for the attack".

A case was brought against two of the suspects, Neil Acourt, then 17, and Luke Knight, who was 16, and were initially charged with murder but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case on 29 July 1993 citing insufficient evidence.^[8]

In April 1996, Stephen's family initiated a private prosecution against the initial two and three other suspects. When called to the inquest the men refused to answer questions put by the lawyer for the teenager's family.^[9] Charges against the original two suspects were dropped before the trial due to lack of evidence and the three remaining suspects were acquitted at trial when the judge ruled that identification evidence given by Duwayne Brooks, relating to the three youths was inadmissible, leading to acquittal.^[10]

On 14 February 1997, the Daily Mail newspaper labelled all five suspects "murderers", challenging them to sue the newspaper for libel. The headline read "Murderers: The Mail accuses these men of killing. If we are wrong, let them sue us." Underneath this were pictures of Gary Dobson, Neil Acourt, Jamie Acourt, Luke Knight, and David Norris.^[11] To date, they have not sued, but have used appearances in the media to protest their innocence. The Attorney General later cleared the Daily Mail of contempt of court.

In 2002, two men accused in the Lawrence case, David Norris and Neil Acourt, were convicted and jailed for a racist attack on a plainclothes black police officer.^[12][13]

The case spurred changes in British law that would allow future cases to be brought back to court, even after an acquittal. In the Criminal Justice Act 2003, introduced by Home Secretary David Blunkett, Parliament abolished a previously strict prohibition against double jeopardy. Retrials are now allowed if there is 'new and compelling evidence'.

No one has been convicted of Lawrence's murder. The suspected killers, all but one with further police records, are at large and detailed on the Mail website.

In November 2007, police confirmed that they are investigating new forensic evidence.^[14]

An annual architectural prize, the Stephen Lawrence Prize, was established by the Royal Institute of British Architects in Stephen Lawrence's memory.

His mother, Doreen Lawrence, said, "I would like Stephen to be remembered as a young man who had a future. He was well loved, and had he been given the chance to survive maybe he would have been the one to bridge the gap between black and white because he didn't distinguish between black or white. He saw people as people."

In 1999 Nicholas Kent designed and staged a documentary play - The Colour of Justice - based on the trial, at the Tricycle Theatre. It was later filmed by the BBC.

In 1997, Lawrence's surviving family registered a formal complaint with the Police Complaints Authority, which in 1999 exonerated officers who worked the case of allegations of racism. Only one officer, Senior Detective Inspector Ben Bullock, was ordered to face disciplinary charges for neglect of duty. Bullock, who was second in command of the investigation, was later found guilty of failure to properly brief officers and failure to fully investigate an anonymous letter sent to police, but acquitted of 11 other charges. Four other officers who would have been charged as a result of the inquiry retired before it concluded.

Bullock retired the day after his punishment was announced, which amounted to a caution. Neville Lawrence, father of Stephen Lawrence, criticized the punishment saying Bullock was "guilty on all counts" but a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Federation said Bullock was "largely vindicated" in the proceedings.^[15]

That same year, while the PCA inquiry was ongoing, Home Secretary Jack Straw ordered a public inquiry. During the inquiry, Detective Superintendent Brian Weeden said mistakes had been made during the murder investigation. Weeden who was head of the murder squad for 14 months, admitted that until recently he had not understood the legal grounds on which police can make arrests.^[10] Results of the inquiry became known as the Macpherson Report, or the Stephen Lawrence Report.

Conducted by Sir William Macpherson, the inquiry found that the original Metropolitan Police Service investigation had been incompetent, charging that officers had committed fundamental errors including failing to give first aid when they reached the scene, failing to follow obvious leads during their investigation and failing to arrest suspects. He found that there had been a failure of leadership by senior MPS officers and that recommendations of the 1981 Scarman Report, compiled following race-related riots in Brixton and Toxteth had been ignored.

Macpherson found that the police were institutionally racist, and made a total of 70 recommendations for reform in his report dated 24 February 1999. His proposals included abolishing the double jeopardy rule and criminalising racist statements made in private. Macpherson also called for reform in the British Civil Service, local government, the National Health Service, schools and the judicial system to address issues of institutional racism.

On 10 March 2006 the Metropolitan Police Service announced that it would pay Duwayne Brooks £100,000 as compensation for the way police handled his complaints about their actions toward him after the murder.^[16][17]

On 25 July 2006, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) announced it had asked the Metropolitan Police to look into alleged claims of police corruption that may have helped hide the killers of Stephen Lawrence.

A BBC investigation alleged that the murder inquiry's Det. Sgt. John Davidson had taken money from known drug smuggler Clifford Norris, the father of David Norris, a chief suspect in the investigation.^[18] Neil Putnam, a former corrupt police detective turned whistleblower, told a BBC investigation that Clifford Norris was paying Mr Davidson to obstruct the case and to protect the suspects. "Davidson told me that he was looking after Norris and that to me meant that he was protecting him, protecting his family against arrest and any conviction," Mr Putnam said.^[18] Davidson denied any such corruption.

The Metropolitan Police Service announced it was to open up a special incident room to field calls from the public, following the BBC documentary The Boys Who Killed Stephen Lawrence. The Independent Police Complaints Commission later stated the claims made in the programme were unfounded.^[19]

On 27 July 2006, the Daily Mail repeated its famous "Murderers" front page.

“

The need to re-establish trust between minority ethnic communities and the police is paramount... seeking to achieve trust and confidence through a demonstration of fairness will not in itself be sufficient. It must be accompanied by a vigorous pursuit of openness and accountability.

”

^[20]

1. ^ Straw Announces Inquiry into Lawrence Murder, (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
2. ^ Lawrence detective denies claim (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
3. ^ Q&A: Stephen Lawrence murder (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
4. ^ Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
5. ^ Stephen Lawrence Inquiry (accessed 9 November 2007)
6. ^ The murder of Stephen Lawrence accessed 16 November 2007
7. ^ World: Europe Police appeal for witness in Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry (BBC, February 13, 1999), accessed 9 November 2007
8. ^ 1997: Lawrence "killed by racists", (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
9. ^ Vigil held for Stephen Lawrence (BBC, accessed 9 November, 2007)
10. ^ ^{a b} Timeline of Events BBC, accessed 16 November 2007
11. ^ Stephen Lawrence murder
12. ^ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2240697.stm Lawrence pair jailed for race attack (BBC, 6 September, 2002)
13. ^ Daily Mail, accessed 10 November 2007
14. ^ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/lawrence/Story/0,,2207231,00.html Vikram Dodd and Martin Hodgson Lawrence murder: new forensic clue (The Guardian 8 November 2007)
15. ^ Lawrence hearing a "whitewash" (BBC, 13 July, 1999)
16. ^ Lawrence friend sues police (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
17. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4793426.stm Police payout for Lawrence friend] (BBC, accessed 9 November 2007)
18. ^ ^{a b} >Lawrence case 'corruption' probe (BBC 26 July 2006)
19. ^ "No corruption" in Lawrence case (BBC)
20. ^ The Macpherson Report (1999)

• Stephen Lawrence case chronology , PBS Masterpiece Theatre
• Bullock cautioned as punishment, The Guardian

• Ellis, Dr.Frank, The Macpherson Report: 'Anti-racist' Hysteria and the Sovietization of the United Kingdom, published by Right Now Press Ltd., London, 2001,(P/B), ISBN 0-9540534-0-0
• Green, David G, (Editor), Institutional Racism and the Police: Fact or Fiction, published by The Institute for the Study of Civil Society 2000, ISBN 1-903 386-06-3
• Dennis, Norman; Erdos, George; Al-Shahi, Ahmed; Racist Murder and Pressure Group Politics: The Macpherson Report and the Police, published by The Institute for the Study of Civil Society 2000, ISBN 1-903 386-05-5
• Cathcart, Brian; The Case of Stephen Lawrence published by Penguin ISBN 0-14-027905-9

• Macpherson Report
• blink Stephen Lawrence campaign
• Civitas Institutional Racism and The Police — Fact or Fiction?
• Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
• Stephen Lawrence case: Key events following the murder of Stephen Lawrence

• 27 May 1998 Policeman 'misunderstood law'
• 28 May 1998 Lawrence probe officer 'met parents a year late'
• 2 June 1998 'I'm not corrupt' says Lawrence detective
• 20 July 1998 Lawrence parents urge police chief to quit
• 2 September 1998 Lawrence five set for 'trial by media'
• 10 February 1999 Lawrence suspects 'face new charges'
• 10 February 1999 ITV to screen Lawrence drama
• 13 February 1999 Lawrence investigation 'seriously flawed'
• 6 May 2004 Stephen Lawrence Interview transcript and video of interview
• 24 July 2006 Lawrence police 'missed chance'
• 13 October 2007 'No corruption' in Lawrence case