I've just heard, via AOL news, that a new trial is to be convened for the Stephen Lawrence murder. The full story is below. Let's hope that justice is properly served this time.


Two men are to face trial for the racist murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence after new scientific evidence was uncovered, it can now be reported.

Gary Dobson, 35, and David Norris, 34, are due to go before an Old Bailey jury in November accused of the "calamitous" crime.

Senior judges ruled that the trial could go ahead even though Dobson had been acquitted following a 1996 private prosecution by the Lawrence family.

Stephen's parents Neville and Doreen Lawrence were at the Court of Appeal to hear the decision. Mr Lawrence said he was "pleased". Mrs Lawrence said: "Perhaps somewhere down the line we will finally get justice for him."

Mr Lawrence, an 18-year-old A-level student, was stabbed to death in Eltham, south east London in April 1993.

"The murder of Stephen Lawrence, a young black man of great promise, targeted and killed by a group of white youths just because of the colour of his skin, was indeed a calamitous crime," said the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge.

The ruling was announced by Lord Judge sitting with Mrs Justice Rafferty and Mr Justice Holroyde. It followed a prosecution application to quash Dobson's earlier acquittal.

He had been cleared of murder at the 1996 trial, along with Luke Knight and Neil Acourt, after purported identification evidence was ruled inadmissible. But Dobson was charged with the crime again, along with Norris, last September, although it could not be reported at the time for legal reasons.

Lifting the blanket reporting restrictions on the case, Lord Judge said the prosecution application to quash Dobson's acquittal was based on new scientific evidence relating to a grey bomber jacket and a multi-coloured cardigan which it was said "closely links" Dobson to the attack.

The Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan Police welcomed the ruling, which followed an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC.