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Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando
The conviction always looked like a bit of a fit up tbh. Has to face a retrial though.
Quote:
George wins Dando murder retrial
Barry George has won his appeal against his conviction for the murder of BBC TV presenter Jill Dando in 1999.
The Court of Appeal decided the jury's guilty verdict six years ago was unsafe and has ordered a retrial.
George, 47, was sentenced to life for the shooting of Miss Dando, 37, outside her home in Fulham, west London, but he has always denied his involvement.
His lawyer argued the conviction was unsafe because of doubts over gunshot discharge residue evidence.
George, dressed in a suit and dark blue shirt, appeared in the dock of the London court as the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, and two other senior judges allowed the appeal and informed him he would face a retrial.
There was no application for bail and George is to be remanded in custody.
Alan Farthing, Miss Dando's fiance at the time of her murder, said: "I am disappointed, particularly for those of us who have suffered the tragedy of losing a loved one prematurely."
George was sentenced in July 2001 to life imprisonment after an Old Bailey jury found him guilty by a majority of 10 to one.
Weight of evidence
This latest hearing centred on the significance of a microscopic speck of firearm discharge found in George's coat following his arrest more than 12 months after the shooting.
William Clegg QC, for George, argued the firearm evidence carried "zero or neutral evidential weight" and if it was admitted again before a jury, it should have the proper weight attached.
The appeal proceedings began after the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which studies potential miscarriages of justice, referred the case to the Court of Appeal.
The three-day hearing was George's second legal challenge over the Old Bailey verdict.
He lost his first appeal a year after his conviction.
11-15-2007, 12:06 PM
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando Post #2
CPS and police must still feel they have their man...will be interesting to see if they've other evidence to bring to the case. Will be fun to see all the madcap rumour and theories about Serbian war lords and gangland bosses get their airing again in the run up to the re-trail.
Personally I've always though Nick Ross looks a bit dodgy.
11-15-2007, 12:07 PM
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando Post #3
CPS and police must still feel they have their man
Really? Always thought there was huge pressure on them until it got to the point they just had to arrest someone.
Surprised there was such a majority verdict originally. The evidence always looked flimsy so 10-1 is a huge majority (unless there was sometihng disclosed form the press).
11-15-2007, 12:09 PM
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando Post #6
Originally posted by James07?:
CPS and police must still feel they have their man...
Do the CPS have anything to do with it at this stage? I assumed that an unsafe conviction would always lead to a retrial by default, rather than aquittal.
11-15-2007, 12:29 PM
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando Post #9
No, I don't think so. They could have thrown it out completely...but from what I've seen George's lawyers had already said they'd not appeal if a retrial was the outcome. I would assume that the CPS would be part of the 'crown' case acting for the prosecution in the appeal?
11-15-2007, 12:37 PM
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando Post #10
Hmmm, I thought that the CPS pretty much played no role once the case has made it to court in the first instance.
Interesting if George's lawyers aren't overly fussed about the prospect of a retrial. Might suggest they think the prosecution don't have any new evidence.
Barry George wins his appeal against conviction for killing Jill Dando 
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