I don't think it's a question of the guy being 'fitted up', contrary to popular opinion the police don't find someone they don't like and then pin a crime to them, not on my watch in any rate.

He probably flagged up as a danger to women in that neighbourhood, so he'd be one of the first to be pulled. I can't comment on whether the conviction was sound, as I know just as much (or little) as anyone else here on the case notes.

Lydia oh for Gods sake!!!!!!!!!
Answer it if you like, it really isn't a problem but I did address the last post to you. I was only pointing out that I wasn't excusing anyone for a wrongful conviction.

I also pointed out that Barry George stalked women kind of regularly you know? Which in my humble opinion makes him a real creep just for starters. And frankly the reports I'm hearing today about how much he is now going to get paid by the real perverts in this country, the media, for his "story" make me want to vomit.

Bananaman wrote:
Incidentally it is cases like this which, for me highlight why the death penalty is so abhorrent.

If he had been hanged the case would probably never have been revisited. Once the convicted person is dead it's much harder to get a review of the case although there have been exceptions.
The death penalty is wrong;
1. because nobody can ever be 100% sure the right person has been found guilty.
2. if the law says that killing somebody is wrong then that applies to everybody.
3. the death penalty encourages the mob and weakens what little moral fibre they have; can you imagine the Sun headlines on the morning of a hanging?

Barry George sounds like a real weirdo who poses a danger to women. He's probably the type who should be locked up anyway but it looks as if it maybe wasn't him who killed Ms Dando.

What is the real point of a review if the person is dead. It would not bring the person back. Although maybe the family would feel the need to clear the persons name.

When I think of the death penalty it is that young lad who had mental health issues I think of. I can't remember his name. I think he was the last man to be hung in this country. Many years later better methods of looking at evidence cleared his name.

I agree with all the points you made Lev about the death penalty. It seems barbaric to me and I wonder about the people who would actually execute a person. Imagine that being your job. Imagine when a woman had to be killed. Shiver.

I'm wondering why it would be any worse hanging a woman than a man personally. I would find both equally horrific.

In answer to your question, Lydia about the point of reopening the case when the person is dead, the reason is that if the case is not reopened, then the real perpetrator will continue to be free and able to do it again.

I still feel, and I accept that I may be wrong here, that the police identified a suspect and then pursued a case against him. I feel that they were under undue pressure from the media to resolve this.

As far as suggesting that Barry George deserved a life sentence for stalking I won't even comment on the silliness of that. The man had (and has) psychological issues. Who knows what was going through his head at the time. One thing I understand is that he did not approach the women he stalked. If that is the case, while what he did was grossly unpleasant, he did not harm anyone.

Martin wrote:
One thing I understand is that he did not approach the women he stalked. If that is the case, while what he did was grossly unpleasant, he did not harm anyone.

Mr George has a conviction for indecent assault and one for attempted rape for which he spent nearly two years in gaol. Not harmless by any standards.

Martin wrote:
In answer to your question, Lydia about the point of reopening the case when the person is dead, the reason is that if the case is not reopened, then the real perpetrator will continue to be free and able to do it again.

I still feel, and I accept that I may be wrong here, that the police identified a suspect and then pursued a case against him. I feel that they were under undue pressure from the media to resolve this.


As far as suggesting that Barry George deserved a life sentence for stalking I won't even comment on the silliness of that. The man had (and has) psychological issues. Who knows what was going through his head at the time. One thing I understand is that he did not approach the women he stalked. If that is the case, while what he did was grossly unpleasant, he did not harm anyone.

Martin

First, can you provide your evidence that the Police "stitched" this guy up? Are you actually saying that profiling in such cases would not have made George a suspect in the first place given his regular, repeat, regular practice of stalking women and the many hundreds of pictures he kept of women he didn't even know, whose pictures he had taken without his permission?

Second, are Police not under pressure to find the culprit in any horrific murder like this, and shouldn't they be?

Thirdly, can you tell me where I said George deserved a life sentence for stalking because I did not say any such thing.

Finally, I find it quite astonishing that you view the activities of this pervert George, for that is what a stalker is Martin, as harmless. It is interesting to note that you describe his activities in following those women everywhere and taking their pictures without permission in such a way. Maybe you should read up on some high profile previous cases where you will learn how notorious murderers, rapists and such like started out in their "careers" Martin and perhaps then you will re-think your description of George's hobby as "not harming anyone". Any woman being followed, stalked or whatever you want to call it is immediately placed in a state of alarm by such a man. It is not acceptable behaviour and just because you are male yourself does not give you the right to dismiss it as doing no harm. It is a criminal offence.

And incidentally he admitted that he HAD approached some thirty odd women so you got that bit wrong too.

I would repeat I did not suggest at any time that George deserved life for stalking Martin and I'm very disappointed that you have said this.

Lydia wrote: When I think of the death penalty it is that young lad who had mental health issues I think of. I can't remember his name.
His name was Derek Bentley.

Wiki has a list of Miscarriages of justice, including wrongful hangings at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscarriage_of_justice
Scroll down to the section entitled "United Kingdom".

Had he been hung then it would have been 'case closed'.

His excuse for not murdering her was that he was stalking someone else at the time. Okay so 'drop' filth like this, after all he's convicted himself of potential murder and it'll save a lot of taxpayers money as well as making people feel safer on the streets at night. That's logical to me!

Brenna1508 wrote:
Lydia wrote: When I think of the death penalty it is that young lad who had mental health issues I think of. I can't remember his name.
His name was Derek Bentley.

Wiki has a list of Miscarriages of justice, including wrongful hangings at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscarriage_of_justice
Scroll down to the section entitled "United Kingdom".

I thought you were referring to Timothy Evans, falsely convicted of murder and hanged.

HelloJimmy wrote:
Had he been hung then it would have been 'case closed'.

His excuse for not murdering her was that he was stalking someone else at the time. Okay so 'drop' filth like this, after all he's convicted himself of potential murder and it'll save a lot of taxpayers money as well as making people feel safer on the streets at night. That's logical to me!

We're all potential murderers.

He's convicted himself of nothing but being someone with very obvious mental health issues - which is precisely the defence which the jury accepted.

As for it being "case closed" had he been hanged, those who thought for his innocence in life would also have fought for it in his death.

dws suggested: I thought you were referring to Timothy Evans, falsely convicted of murder and hanged.
I don't think Timothy Evans had mental health issues dws. He was accused of, convicted and hung for killing his child. It then turned out that Christie was the murderer.

Brenna1508 wrote:
dws suggested: I thought you were referring to Timothy Evans, falsely convicted of murder and hanged.
I don't think Timothy Evans had mental health issues dws. He was accused of, convicted and hung for killing his child. It then turned out that Christie was the murderer.

His IQ was below 100.

Clare wrote:
I'm wondering why it would be any worse hanging a woman than a man personally. I would find both equally horrific.

So would I Claire, I just think it may be more difficult for the person to do if it were a female. Then again, maybe not, the Person who would execute a person, as their job, must have hardness inside to do this as a job.

I wonder if prison officers used to do this as part of their job or did they bring in someone to do this?