George not guilty of Dando murder

[tombott]

Barry George has been found not guilty of murdering BBC television presenter Jill Dando outside her London home.
Mr George, 48, of Fulham, west London, denied shooting 37-year-old Miss Dando on her doorstep on 26 April 1999.
He was retried at the Old Bailey, having first faced trial for the killing in 2001.
His defence argued he was not capable of carrying out what could be seen as the "perfect crime" that required "meticulous" planning.
Mr George has consistently insisted he did not murder Jill Dando.

He was arrested on 15 May 2000, a year after the shooting.
Forensic evidence about a tiny speck of gun residue in Barry George's coat helped secure his original conviction but was not permitted in the retrial.

The jury of eight women and four men were sent out to deliberate on Wednesday after an eight-week trial.
Mr George showed no reaction as the verdict was read out. He nodded as psychiatrist Dr Susan Young, who sat with him in the dock during trial, whispered to him.
He is expected to be released later and walk free from the Old Bailey after spending eight years in prison.
The Crown Prosecution Service defended its original decision to bring the case.
In a statement it said: "Mr George now has the right to be regarded as an innocent man. But that does not mean it was wrong to bring the case.
"Our test is always whether there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction; it would be wholly wrong only to bring cases where we were guaranteed a conviction."



Source

[liveseytowers]

I'd be interested to know how much an innocent man gets in compensation for something like this? I'd imagine its in the 100K's

[steve10574]

eight years must be more then that not sure he is innocent thou

[tam9]

i dont think any amount of money can buy 8 years. the man should lead a wealthy life if he is (and i think he is) innocent.

[Roach-Rampino]

"
BARRY GEORGE: DO HAVE NIGHTMARES by Danny Chatfield

Jill Dando's murderer was a nobody desperate to be somebody.
Since childhood he had fanticised about fame and twice changed his surname to match those of his heroes, hoping some of their celebrity might rub off on him.
The twisted craving became so intense it led him to gun down the woman known as 'TV's Golden Girl.'
Jill was everything Barry George was not - popular, easy going and hugely talented, a woman who had not sought fame but found it thrust upon her.
For weeks he had stalked Jill, as he had so many others before her, waiting for the chance to gun down one of Britain's most popular television presenters.
She had always signed off the 'Crimewatch' show with the words: 'Violent crime is rare so please, don't have nightmares.'
Tragically those nightmares were to come true in a few terror filled seconds on her doorstep.
MURDERED BY NEIGHBOUR

George was born just down the road from Jill's Fulham home on April 15, 1960, and knew the area like the back of his hand.
He was an unemployable loner and his sex life was as spectacularly unsuccessful as his work record.
George had tried to make a name for himself as a stunt man by trying to leap three double decker buses after flying down a steep 70 foot ramp on roller skates.
He succeeded only in crashing into the obstacle and suffered almost crippling back injuries.
George's only real relationship was a flash-in-the-pan marriage to a Japanese woman Hsuko Toide in 1989 after he met her at an English language college.
He was arrested for repeatedly beating her but the charges were dropped when she flew back to her family in the Far East.
Frustrated and increasingly deluded, George began stalking women who had rejected his crude chat-up lines based on imaginary claims of celebrity.
He would photograph those he followed and write down their addresses in notebooks he stored in his filthy flat.
George tried to lure one woman back to his flat claiming it was the Freddie Mercury Fan Club HQ.
He was arrested for indecent assault on several occasions but charges were dropped when witnesses failed to identify George or were reluctant to proceed with the case.
But in February 1983 he was jailed for two-and-a-half years after following a young woman and attempting to rape her.
His jail term included a suspended sentence from a year earlier when he grabbed a woman's breasts and was found guilty of indecent assault. He also has a conviction for impersonating a police officer.
He then began using the name Steve Majors, adopted from that of Lee Majors, the actor who played Steve Austin, the ‘Six Million Dollar Man’ in the 1970s TV series.
George would also call himself Thomas Palmer in honour of one of the SAS soldiers who stormed the Iranian embassy and Barry Bulsara - using the original surname of Queen star Freddie Mercury.
He had spent a few weeks as a messenger for the BBC in 1976 and would often visit Television Centre where Jill worked to collect its in-house magazine.
Detective Superintendent Hamish Campbell, the officer who hunted down George said: 'He was a fan of celebrities, men and women, and he wanted to be one himself. Without that he was nothing.'
When he was not dreaming of the rich and famous, most of George's time was devoted to weapons and the military.
In December 1981 he joined the Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army under the name SF Majors but failed to complete the voluntary soldier's basic training - despite trying for almost a year.
He also used the name Majors to attend the Kensington and Chelsea pistol club but his application was eventually rejected by club members concerned about his weird behaviour.
At his home he kept stacks of combat magazines in his flat including one pamphlet chillingly titled: 'Ambush and Counter- ambush.'
SHINING EYES OF A KILLER

There were also undeveloped pictures of George wearing a gas mask and clutching a pistol, his deep brown eyes shining with excitement.
Wearing part of his wardrobe of combat gear, George loved to strut in front of the mirror pretending he was Palmer, or another favourite, Falklands hero, Colonel 'H' Jones VC.
Amongst the dog eared survivalist manuals were also cuttings about his ultimate quarry.
George often chatted about Jill and would sometimes tell complete strangers how much he loved and wanted to meet her.
He was later to write a condolence card to the BBC in which he stated: 'Although I did not know her personally, my cousin Freddie Mercury had been interviewed by her back in 1986 - I was present with him at the time.'
At the time of her death Jill, a committed Christian, was at the height of her career which had begun with a job on her local paper in Weston-Super-Mare.
As well as hosting Crimewatch and the Holiday programme, she had completed a new series, the Antiques Inspectors, which aired its first episode on the night before she died.
Had she lived Jill would have become the BBC's face of the new century and fronted the marathon Millennium Eve broadcast.
After several failed relationships she had at last found happiness with Alan Farthing, the gynaecologist she was due to marry within five months.
On April 26, 1999 George armed himself with a crudely modified blank-firing gun and lay in wait for Jill in the tiny front garden of her Gowan Avenue home.
George pounced when Jill arrived home from a shopping trip and pressed the barrel to her head as she took her keys from her handbag.
She cowered in fear and could only scream once as George fired, killing her instantly.
After the shooting George hurried back to his flat, probably throwing the pistol into the Thames from Putney Bridge.
He swapped his suit, shirt, tie and overcoat for a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a bright yellow t-shirt before making his way to a local disability centre to manufacture an alibi.
I NEED HELP!

Staff at the Hammersmith and Fulham Action for the Disabled saw agitated George burst through the door shouting: 'I need help, I need help.'
He made up a story about needing medical advice before leaving and visiting a local cab company Traffic Cars where he acted equally suspiciously.
Two days later he returned to the offices explaining he needed to know the exact time he was there because his appearance matched the description of Jill's killer.
His name was given to detectives days into the inquiry, but the sheer volume of leads to be followed up meant George was not arrested until a year after the murder.
In the pocket of George's overcoat forensic experts found a microscopic spec of gunfire residue which matched exactly particles combed from the celebrity's hair.
Scientists also found a fibre on Jill's coat which could have come from George's trousers.
When he was arrested the killer denied even knowing who Jill Dando was. He insisted he had not been in the area at the time of the killing but two witnesses later identified him.
QC'S STRANGE DEFENCE

George did not give evidence and instead his barrister Michael Mansfield, QC relied on a series of bizarre 'headline grabbing theories' seriously suggesting Jill was murdered by Serbian terrorists in retaliation for the Nato bombings of Belgrade.
The jury of five men and six women returned their guilty verdict after 31 hours and 55 minutes deliberation and five nights at a hotel.
Passing sentence Mr Justice Gage told George: 'On the evidence this cannot be said to be a spur of the moment killing.
'On the contrary, there can be no doubt that this was premeditated and involved some planning.
'Your actions deprived her fiance, her family, friends and the wider public of a much loved and popular personality, who in the time during which she was in the public eye, did a great deal of good and brought a lot of pleasure to a large number of people.
'I conclude that you are unpredictable and dangerous and are likely to remain so for some time to come.'
Michael Mansfield's first appeal against George's conviction failed but he has since won the right to a retrial."

Source: http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/c_famou.../crime_vaults/

It a good site for background and more in depth info on court cases: http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/home_page/

[steve10574]

i dont think any amount of money can buy 8 years. the man should lead a wealthy life if he is (and i think he is) innocent.

Spoiler:

"
BARRY GEORGE: DO HAVE NIGHTMARES by Danny Chatfield

Jill Dando's murderer was a nobody desperate to be somebody.
Since childhood he had fanticised about fame and twice changed his surname to match those of his heroes, hoping some of their celebrity might rub off on him.
The twisted craving became so intense it led him to gun down the woman known as 'TV's Golden Girl.'
Jill was everything Barry George was not - popular, easy going and hugely talented, a woman who had not sought fame but found it thrust upon her.
For weeks he had stalked Jill, as he had so many others before her, waiting for the chance to gun down one of Britain's most popular television presenters.
She had always signed off the 'Crimewatch' show with the words: 'Violent crime is rare so please, don't have nightmares.'
Tragically those nightmares were to come true in a few terror filled seconds on her doorstep.
MURDERED BY NEIGHBOUR

George was born just down the road from Jill's Fulham home on April 15, 1960, and knew the area like the back of his hand.
He was an unemployable loner and his sex life was as spectacularly unsuccessful as his work record.
George had tried to make a name for himself as a stunt man by trying to leap three double decker buses after flying down a steep 70 foot ramp on roller skates.
He succeeded only in crashing into the obstacle and suffered almost crippling back injuries.
George's only real relationship was a flash-in-the-pan marriage to a Japanese woman Hsuko Toide in 1989 after he met her at an English language college.
He was arrested for repeatedly beating her but the charges were dropped when she flew back to her family in the Far East.
Frustrated and increasingly deluded, George began stalking women who had rejected his crude chat-up lines based on imaginary claims of celebrity.
He would photograph those he followed and write down their addresses in notebooks he stored in his filthy flat.
George tried to lure one woman back to his flat claiming it was the Freddie Mercury Fan Club HQ.
He was arrested for indecent assault on several occasions but charges were dropped when witnesses failed to identify George or were reluctant to proceed with the case.
But in February 1983 he was jailed for two-and-a-half years after following a young woman and attempting to rape her.
His jail term included a suspended sentence from a year earlier when he grabbed a woman's breasts and was found guilty of indecent assault. He also has a conviction for impersonating a police officer.
He then began using the name Steve Majors, adopted from that of Lee Majors, the actor who played Steve Austin, the ‘Six Million Dollar Man’ in the 1970s TV series.
George would also call himself Thomas Palmer in honour of one of the SAS soldiers who stormed the Iranian embassy and Barry Bulsara - using the original surname of Queen star Freddie Mercury.
He had spent a few weeks as a messenger for the BBC in 1976 and would often visit Television Centre where Jill worked to collect its in-house magazine.
Detective Superintendent Hamish Campbell, the officer who hunted down George said: 'He was a fan of celebrities, men and women, and he wanted to be one himself. Without that he was nothing.'
When he was not dreaming of the rich and famous, most of George's time was devoted to weapons and the military.
In December 1981 he joined the Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army under the name SF Majors but failed to complete the voluntary soldier's basic training - despite trying for almost a year.
He also used the name Majors to attend the Kensington and Chelsea pistol club but his application was eventually rejected by club members concerned about his weird behaviour.
At his home he kept stacks of combat magazines in his flat including one pamphlet chillingly titled: 'Ambush and Counter- ambush.'
SHINING EYES OF A KILLER

There were also undeveloped pictures of George wearing a gas mask and clutching a pistol, his deep brown eyes shining with excitement.
Wearing part of his wardrobe of combat gear, George loved to strut in front of the mirror pretending he was Palmer, or another favourite, Falklands hero, Colonel 'H' Jones VC.
Amongst the dog eared survivalist manuals were also cuttings about his ultimate quarry.
George often chatted about Jill and would sometimes tell complete strangers how much he loved and wanted to meet her.
He was later to write a condolence card to the BBC in which he stated: 'Although I did not know her personally, my cousin Freddie Mercury had been interviewed by her back in 1986 - I was present with him at the time.'
At the time of her death Jill, a committed Christian, was at the height of her career which had begun with a job on her local paper in Weston-Super-Mare.
As well as hosting Crimewatch and the Holiday programme, she had completed a new series, the Antiques Inspectors, which aired its first episode on the night before she died.
Had she lived Jill would have become the BBC's face of the new century and fronted the marathon Millennium Eve broadcast.
After several failed relationships she had at last found happiness with Alan Farthing, the gynaecologist she was due to marry within five months.
On April 26, 1999 George armed himself with a crudely modified blank-firing gun and lay in wait for Jill in the tiny front garden of her Gowan Avenue home.
George pounced when Jill arrived home from a shopping trip and pressed the barrel to her head as she took her keys from her handbag.
She cowered in fear and could only scream once as George fired, killing her instantly.
After the shooting George hurried back to his flat, probably throwing the pistol into the Thames from Putney Bridge.
He swapped his suit, shirt, tie and overcoat for a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a bright yellow t-shirt before making his way to a local disability centre to manufacture an alibi.
I NEED HELP!

Staff at the Hammersmith and Fulham Action for the Disabled saw agitated George burst through the door shouting: 'I need help, I need help.'
He made up a story about needing medical advice before leaving and visiting a local cab company Traffic Cars where he acted equally suspiciously.
Two days later he returned to the offices explaining he needed to know the exact time he was there because his appearance matched the description of Jill's killer.
His name was given to detectives days into the inquiry, but the sheer volume of leads to be followed up meant George was not arrested until a year after the murder.
In the pocket of George's overcoat forensic experts found a microscopic spec of gunfire residue which matched exactly particles combed from the celebrity's hair.
Scientists also found a fibre on Jill's coat which could have come from George's trousers.
When he was arrested the killer denied even knowing who Jill Dando was. He insisted he had not been in the area at the time of the killing but two witnesses later identified him.
QC'S STRANGE DEFENCE

George did not give evidence and instead his barrister Michael Mansfield, QC relied on a series of bizarre 'headline grabbing theories' seriously suggesting Jill was murdered by Serbian terrorists in retaliation for the Nato bombings of Belgrade.
The jury of five men and six women returned their guilty verdict after 31 hours and 55 minutes deliberation and five nights at a hotel.
Passing sentence Mr Justice Gage told George: 'On the evidence this cannot be said to be a spur of the moment killing.
'On the contrary, there can be no doubt that this was premeditated and involved some planning.
'Your actions deprived her fiance, her family, friends and the wider public of a much loved and popular personality, who in the time during which she was in the public eye, did a great deal of good and brought a lot of pleasure to a large number of people.
'I conclude that you are unpredictable and dangerous and are likely to remain so for some time to come.'
Michael Mansfield's first appeal against George's conviction failed but he has since won the right to a retrial."

Source: http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/c_famou.../crime_vaults/

It a good site for background and more in depth info on court cases: http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk/home_page/

yup he sounds like a fine upstanding member of the community

[B.I.G.]

I always thought he was innocent just the local nutter who the police decided would be a convenient quick solve in a high profile case where they needed a fast result.

[Roach-Rampino]

I always thought he was innocent just the local nutter who the police decided would be a convenient quick solve in a high profile case where they needed a fast result.

"the sheer volume of leads to be followed up meant George was not arrested until a year after the murder."

Not that fast though mate...

[B.I.G.]

Fair enough i didn't think it took them that long to nick him.

But it was without doubt a case they had to solve as the media would not allow it to be just brushed under the carpet.At first they where claiming it was a professional hit then they end up arresting the loon from down the road.Either they want to sack the criminal profiler or something is not quite right with the whole thing.

[blaggard]

I always felt he was innocent and another nail in the coffin of the "Bring back hanging" brigade!

[Roach-Rampino]

Fair enough i didn't think it took them that long to nick him.

But it was without doubt a case they had to solve as the media would not allow it to be just brushed under the carpet.At first they where claiming it was a professional hit then they end up arresting the loon from down the road.Either they want to sack the criminal profiler or something is not quite right with the whole thing.

Oh mate, don't get me wrong I completely agree it was one of those cases where the pressure was on the Old Bil from every angle (media, top brass etc) to come up with a suspect, unfortunately this can result in cases like this. Another prime example is the Rachel Nickell murder and wrongly accused Colin Stagg.

[steve10574]

I always felt he was innocent and another nail in the coffin of the "Bring back hanging" brigade!

but reading all that other stuff not exactly a waste of rope if they did thou

[c0axial]

Question : Who the Fuck did then ???

[bbshark]

it was never going to be him. The hit was too clean for it to be someone with mental instability. Not saying he wouldn't kill, but if he did it would never been that clean.

[B.I.G.]

Theoretically she could have tied a 1 mile piece of elastic to a gun 1 and a half miles from her home.Tied the gun free end to a tree walked home and shot herself in the face on her doorstep just to boost crimewatch's dwindling viewing figures.Unlikely but another possible scenario for the police to use.

She's out of the public eye now and within a year no one will care,i don't think they'll ever catch her killer.

[super mike]

Question : Who the fcuk did then ???

'Twas Alice. Who the fuck is alice?

[Argyll]

Before joining the Prison Service I used to have the utmost respect for the law but not now. Many prisoners told me of the tactics of the police to try and set people up by twisting things and planting evidence. Remember the Birmingham six and the Guildford four?

Of course a lot of these prisoners were career criminals but the actual crime they were in prison for was set up just to get them off the street. Some people would say the fact the had committed crimes and hadn't been caught then they deserve everything they get but I wouldn't. The law has to be 100% fair and no matter how many crimes they have committed then they shouldn't be set up as it makes an arse of the whole legal system.

The truth is that the judicial system does not care enough about what is right and what is wrong. Indeed in this case they had to find someone and Barry George fitted the bill. Sure he wasn't a fine upstanding member of society but who really is? We've all done something we're not proud of particularly in my case when I was in my twenties. But to fit the guy up was a fucking disgrace!

I was a witness at a court down in London a few years ago and I overheard a Barrister discussing a man's case and he said in a jocular voice "ah well at least it pays one's mortgage". They don't care about justice but only about the progression of their own careers.

The Police and the Judicial system as a whole should hang there heads in shame. The other culprits are the press who took small snippets of this guy's character and twisted it around to make him look like he was guilty. Anyone who reads newspapers and actually believes everything they say needs to give their heads a shake.

A prisoner once told me that if your ever arrested is to say nothing! Because all the police will do is fit you up if they think you done it. I have a deep mistrust of the police and the legal system now in case you hadn't guessed.

That's my tuppence worth.

[B.I.G.]

fourpence worth really m8.

[rookie]

the police needed to charge sombody for it they picked on the local nutter simple as.
i remember wen he got sentenced that cunt on crimewatch nick ross was saying he was glad etc.

she was a fucking slag like diana why not look into all the blokes she slept with at the bbc.

you cant put a price on 8 years tho,

[steve10574]

A prisoner once told me that if your ever arrested is to say nothing! Because all the police will do is fit you up if they think you done it. I have a deep mistrust of the police and the legal system now in case you hadn't guessed.

That's my tuppence worth.

A prisoner told you he was fitted up and you believed him??? well i have never heard a fishmonger shout out stinking fish lol oh to your point who has never done anything wrong well i never raped a woman or anything like

rapist,murders,and kiddy's fiddlers all need to swing at end of rope for my money