death constable killed october rioting housing estate north london trouble broke local black woman died heart failure police search home took place backdrop unrest english cities breakdown relations police black communities assigned night death serial unit sergeant dispatched protect firefighters forced officers fell surrounded mob people received injuries inflicted similar found inch long knife neck buried constable killed riot britain stabbed death london detectives came enormous pressure find killers amid tabloid coverage left wing journalists claimed openly racist faced lack forensic evidence police arrested people interviewed lawyers laid charges based confessions adults youths charged murder adults convicted widely supported campaign arose convictions forensic tests cast doubt authenticity detectives notes interview appeared detectives charged course justice acquitted police opened murder inquiry men arrested suspicion murder seventh person charged murder based largely evidence gathered inquiry found guilty april serial awarded queen gallantry medal bravery sergeant armed shield placed crowd effort save officer received awarded acts great bravery background june october born joined november assigned response team home beat officer north london time death married sons mark kevin lee years old father died police officer joining buried borough north london emerged british government policy 1930s onwards clearance poorly maintained houses way high rise social housing built farm consists flats apartments blocks raised linked floor outdoor connecting homes shops built ground level fear flooding nearby time death estate housed people percent white percent british journalist writes farm seen sink estate report suggested demolition regeneration project riots led improvements sir commissioner regarded estate london symbolic locations potential areas road saints road inquiry rioting criticized police having adopted attitude elevated linked meant estate crossed descending street level combined ground level parking spaces beloved drug dealers turned estate commentators called rabbit warren criminals point residents afraid leave homes dutch architectural historian described estate time riots elevated little stairs connect huge different elevated come huge underground zone completely consists parking places incredible nest typical modernist multi level network city constructions extremely difficult police exert control makes police extremely vulnerable attacks underneath social unrest england riots died took place wave social unrest england riot bristol particularly riot south london series incidents sparked violent confrontations black youths largely white police officers september month murder rioting birmingham arrest black man traffic offence people killed september black woman cherry accidentally shot police searched home looking son wanted suspicion robbery firearms offences believing died shooting fact survived left waist group protesters gathered outside police station rioting broke saw police lose control area hours year old killed breeze block dropped head photographed looting rumours spread london rioting imminent including shopping centre near october disturbances liverpool day police stopped searched vehicles entering farm finding petrol bomb day wrote october riot october death saturday october week riot police arrested year old black man suspicion stolen car suspicion turned decision hours later search home mother stolen goods course search collapsed died heart failure rose writes told heart condition meant probably months live according rose police let house floyd keys knocking announcing family watching television family said officer pushed causing fall officer denied police said pushed simply collapsed clear stopped breathing officer tried revive mouth mouth avail testified fall factor jury returned verdict accidental death following direction verdict mean pushed accidentally october rioting breaks protesters began gather outside police station yards sunday morning october station windows smashed family asked crowd disperse later day police officers attacked bricks paving stones farm police inspector attacked car hours saw violent rioting country experienced early evening crowd young black men gathered estate setting fire cars throwing petrol bombs bricks dropping concrete blocks paving stones estate outdoor knocking police officers unconscious despite nato helmets local council community relations officer said shifting convoy soon loaded injured officers place apart death police officers injured policemen journalists bbc suffered gunshot wounds shots fired firearms time shots fired britain commissioner sir authorized deployment specialist police armed plastic bullets gas resort fail use plastic bullets riot britain unit arrived senior officers scene refused use apparent dismay junior officers rioting continued early hours morning serial assigned night serial metropolitan police unit consisting sergeant police stations shield serial unit equipped shields nato helmets personnel carrier expecting trouble metropolitan police increased deployment patrols capital serial consisted scots including jamaican yorkshire gloucestershire sgt david led unit protect earlier forced estate block pictured fire started floor way enclosed staircase serial dozens suddenly appeared stairs blowing throwing bottles ordered officers firefighters retreat forced run backwards narrow staircase fearful fire flat water armed short said noise kill pigs hardly helmet attack stairs wearing masks crash helmets carrying knives baseball bats bricks petrol bombs firefighters police ran car park patch grass saw went mob people removed protective helmet found rose writes found holes cutting stabbing injuries head caused sword axe type instrument inch long knife buried neck body covered marks having kicked stamped hands arms badly cut lost fingers trying defend stab wounds right thigh face smashed blow left inch right head said force blow head gave rise attempt according rose autopsy photographs support second group surrounded sustained inch long cut face broken upper lower jaws said suffering effects attack police regard attempted murder including poor hearing fits memory poor left unable read book drive constable protective helmet pierced iron spike officers turned ran crowd try save told reporter remember running fire officer literally slid group like rugby player charging dragged hell state ran police officers hit beaten managed hold collar pull head shoulders group officers helped drag kept rearguard barrier standing middle shield trying fend image forget managed keith road safety unconscious got ground started mouth mouth heart injuries horrific knife embedded handle neck multiple stab wounds fingers missing kept working officer think got response limited taken ambulance died way said officers got safety van sat shock life investigation media response rose writes racist media killing placing intense external pressure detectives solve case according rose news coverage included sun newspaper comparing labour prospective candidate immigrated writing given press conference banana orange grant caused reported saying police given bloody good hiding statement reported youths believe police blame happened sunday got bloody good hiding commissioner told reporters groups orchestrated violence theme picked daily_telegraph falling story media reported october moscow trained hit squad gave orders mob death alleging left wing trained moscow libya coordinated riots internal pressure detectives rank file saw superior officers sharing blame death journal police argued senior officers pursued policy avoiding confrontation costs community led criminals maintaining focus law result journal wrote officers failed appreciate seriousness situation developed estate detective chief superintendent detective chief superintendent placed charge investigation hours killing october inquiry largest history officers assigned time born halifax joining studied served known having solved notorious cases including detective chief superintendent march joined elite international organised crime squad murder charges problem forensic evidence senior officers allowed estate sealed immediately attack meant crime scene secured witnesses directly involved able leave giving names objects held collected police allowed estate great numbers time evidence disappeared remained removed clean operation resorted arresting suspects including juveniles regarded vulnerable holding days access lawyers people arrested connection inquiry interviewed presence lawyer confessions resulted directly murder having taken rioting lawyer given access people confess minor role rioting throwing stones charged resident told inquiry rioting bed lie think going come kick door going happen children horrible fear lived day day knowing come kick door hold hours inquiry heard police officers deployed estate held reserve october argues rose police created intensified climate fear witnesses afraid step forward defended decision hold people access legal advice arguing lawyers pass information interviews suspects said cross examination murder trial view integrity firms left lot desired believed retained people interest learning suspects said crown prosecutor told court police effective weapon suspects know spoken police said use weapon police legitimate effective juveniles aged arrested october charged murder days later person charged connection killing born england west indian parents pennant raised west_indies returned diagnosed learning difficulties attending special school arrested school taken interviewed times course days teacher attendance told police cut kicked twice named including juvenile year old white boy lived seen looting store block rioting near killed arrested october taken held days access lawyer reported kept hot cell said sleeping breathing difficult clothes shoes removed forensic tests interviewed wearing blanket day detention stained sat appropriate adult criticized judge having failed intervene course interviews hill told police witnessed attack named including described killing said called sticks forced mark sword according hill described injuries body match autopsy report cut said told cool asked seen hill said replied said said aim attack head stick told rose interview police saying admit stab sticks wasn said threatened station weeks said family told said aged juvenile charged murder named interviewed father solicitor present drake admitted having taken rioting denied involvement murder witness said trial seen drake force way crowd reach testimony drake spent years bars writes detective inspector called investigation pre scientific inquiry convicted discovering killed time murder local police saw biggest running gangs paying drugs according senior officer years old arrested oldest charged murder born parents seventh day arrived england years earlier told rose experienced racism entire upbringing particularly police leaving school took series low paying jobs began breaking houses following year convicted counts sent months sentenced months wounding september stood trial murder year old postal worker stabbed killed party trial resulted hung jury second trial saw acquitted friend began operating mobile disco galaxy soul shuffle playing festivals private parties given government grant open deck block convictions followed october year fined possessing flick knife march police news reportedly told princess diana official visit come bringing jobs sun newspaper interpreted threat december arrested murder year old boxer party smith face wounds abdomen lung cut charged murder bail killed october year told police known smith party trial acknowledged having said smith started punching pushed smith carrying knife convicted smith murder february awaiting trial murder sentenced life imprisonment released serving years conviction told lawyer known smith bad blood stabbed man self defence smith friends knife arrest disputed interview known sticks locally living block estate time riots running shop block block near spot killed told block night death stopped throwing pole window shop friend pam invited apartment trouble told rose look bail murder know stupid stupid helicopters police photographers think didn want lose bail said learned death heard cheering apartment staying response news report arrested murder october days riot interviewed times hours asking questions detective inspector taking notes interviews stayed silent refused sign detectives notes fifth interview october said knew struck sword changed according notes notes asking told detectives said witnesses reportedly said kids going believe notes walked interview room tears eyes saying jesus jesus ain got evidence kids court wait talk away notes saying murder weapons slow man gone point charged murder reportedly responded won evidence nineteen year old turkish descent arrested october friend mentioned police time linked murder trial court heard expert middle mildly mentally handicapped range testimony withheld jury mental key issue successful appeal court accepted rendered confession unsafe parents moved left school age time murder convictions stealing cars common law wife year old boy worked occasionally mechanic little connection lived nearby gone farm friends watch riot said friends gave interview daily_mirror october involvement arrested implicated later convicted unrelated murder time arrest drinking smoking days common law wife left taking son held days representation speaking solicitor day said found distressed interviewed times period days statements interviews admitting thrown stones second interview saying seen attack said spoken murder owned hammer hook fifth interview charged sixth described attack like film helpless man dogs like quick sign interview rose writes seventh interview day described noises said attack eighth interview said armed night handle tried close happening people weapon running policeman handle said kicked hit able close rose writes offered order attackers launched assault held days released bail charged murder weeks later december doctrine common purpose killed rapper disc jockey living parents london girlfriend lived child january months murder mentioned time detectives man arrested told seen said knew sight stab kitchen knife later withdrew allegation telling bbc years later false taken interviewed detective constable held days denied access lawyer instruction interviewed times days lawyer present times hours detention eat said court suspects heat cells oppressive making difficult breathe denied near farm interview said thrown stones interview said block played role murder interview said hit iron bar chest leg rose writes injuries body seventh interview said hit police officer basis confession evidence charged murder trial men youths convicted offences arising riots arrested charged counting murder defendants trial adults pennant hill youths began court number january men charged murder riot charged throwing petrol bombs jury consisted seven men women including caribbean woman told fourth murder trial bail murder killed subsequently convicted murder future director public decided stand avoid exposing questions previous convictions effort avoid introducing conviction murder worked meant jury told signed bail police station evening death witnesses placed meeting making speeches police press coverage trial included publication day sun notorious close half smiling created monster stalk journalist said asleep police cell taken said held corridor arms pinned wall photographed expression face fear publication constituted gross contempt according trial judge sir speaking action taken newspaper judge dismissed charges youths detained access parents lawyer absence jury judge highly critical police point armoured police vehicles waited jury days returned march unanimous guilty verdict men sentenced life imprisonment recommendation serve years black female read rose writes knew restraint writing animals packs old jail cell image published smile evil application leave appeal rejected campaign free gathered pace organized published page report american law professors attended trial wrote conviction represents justice rose writes new statesman time wrote sympathetic pieces mps trade lobbied famously left wing students union elected college honorary president dismay director governors resigned shortly saying want students solicitor represented birmingham prominent cases justice applied leave appeal began explore mental state arguing confession relied arranged examined london specialist concluded unusually mental age represented mills noted lack photographic scientific evidence argued unlikely stop firefighters fire deck block given renting shop lord lane lord chief justice england dismissed applications december arguing jury ample opportunity form opinion criticized decision pointing problems confessions absence lawyer criticized turn home secretary said amnesty abandoned discussion case lord law lord said convictions ought overturned obtained psychologist report supported asked home secretary review case submitted application arguing way interviewed breached december home secretary referred case detection analysis parallel efforts pierce lawyers requested access november original interview notes seven pages crucial fifth interview notes said fabricated submitted detection analysis test identify small charge left page page written way test developers chronological integrity interview notes determined case according scientist conducted test notes section fifth interview appeared inserted notes written seventh final page fifth interview participants normally sign missing test suggested sixth pages interview impressions left previous pages earlier impressions appeared rest notes according bennett independent test revealed imprint different page submitted evidence clearly interview implicit addition forensic scientist asked investigate essex police said paper disputed notes written came different batch paper rest interview disputed section interview written said told police witness statements attacked replied kids going believe reportedly said later kids court wait result test evidence home secretary added appeal appeal court appeal heard appeal november took minutes conviction delivering page decision december appeal heard days later swiftly overturned regarded landmark ruling recognized confession unreliable court heard interview notes contaminated having denied lawyer rendered confessions unreliable crown prosecutor conceded apparent contamination rendered convictions unsafe gone defendants having learned apparent officer charge case crown depend honesty integrity officers case impact obviously severe rose writes statement sensational speeches english legal history released immediately remained jail murder received compensation conviction case offered legal aid sue police conspiracy course justice settled court awarding false imprisonment prosecution released licence october having served years smith murder second investigation commander second criminal inquiry opened commander appealed help local black community january drew distinction kicked punched weapons called witnesses exchange immunity prosecution end rose writes identified suspects testify supported evidence photographs suspect list drawn team included tried murder acquitted based statements gathered second investigation trial witnesses testified paid expenses tune thousands pounds inquiry parallel second investigation case prepared july charged conspiracy course justice conspiracy lawyers applied access information inquiry grounds help clients implicated support detectives contention interview notes genuine effect confessed lawyers argued detectives prosecuted related criminal proceedings concluded fought application promised witnesses agreed detectives lawyers access relevant passages seven statements implicated witnesses refused testify key passages statements read jury detectives trial according rose statements seriously implicated alleging acted like general sending little troops joined attack day detectives trial began announced suspects prosecuted rose writes decided prosecution public interest trial trial opened june old bailey people present disputed interview gave evidence prosecution alleged detectives supposedly contemporaneous notes fifth interview altered fact include self remarks refused answer questions interviews fifth told witness statements struck similar notes saying kids court wait talk away denied having said words defence argued test suggested disputed words added notes later reliable defence produced witness statements inquiries seven excerpts inquiry seven original investigation read jury statements statements said carrying knife foot long blade night murder attacked statements originated juveniles arrested shortly murder included year old held days blanket access parents lawyer hill received damages police treatment hill told statement going read court detectives trial learned heard television statement juvenile arrested inquiry overall appeared detectives acquitted july unanimous verdict suspended case retired immediately returned work retired months later investigation detective superintendent john march included killing review murders london going details recorded computer december weeks released jail serving years murder police announced investigation opened led detectives began examining witness statements submitting items forensic tests available september garden council house road near estate excavated tip female friend woman death sparked riot lived house according evening standard scene police raided house archaeologists dug garden red beams create dimensional map area found sent forensic tests police searched garden helmet october retrieved dna tests found evidence years later february october men ages arrested suspicion murder arrested february questioned sentenced years october year mark 25th anniversary bbc staged reconstruction appealed information july announced suspicions remained arrested action taken insufficient evidence remaining suspect sixteen years old time riot charged murder month custody pleaded guilty november living mother manor road time riot spent time residential school reading joined gang park lane crew named shortly riot arrested arrested days later suspicion murder police photograph night carrying petrol bomb container rocks told arrived estate midnight hours killed end charged november sentenced years judge longest sentence handed riot according rose reduced appeal years suspects decided charge murder conclusion commander inquiry trial trial opened justice old bailey march stand found guilty april verdict court heard serving sentence guard found rap lyrics cell described killing start hand finger leg shoulder head chest neck defence responded prosecuted shot sheriff court told arrested separate offence aged reportedly told officer killed defence called street remark main prosecution witnesses men testified curtain voices distorted rhodes offered testimony investigation witness brown cousin prosecution told court admitted kicking hitting normally facing murder charges decided inquiry offer immunity exchange testimony hope gaining conviction time attack served sentence role rioting member gang said joined approached police second inquiry brown said statement august blood night said broadcast going try copper park lane crew stored weapons petrol bombs preparation attack brown admitted having kicked times said seen attack similar police gave brown additional january rent paid credits mobile phone reach paid car test annual test court heard brown aware police sun newspaper offered reward told police difficulty identifying black people tell difference black man black man second witness served sentence role riots history cocaine crack cocaine heroin admitted having kicked times said carrying lock knife brown handle inch blade night found inch blade wooden handle embedded neck said told got couple stabs said helmet passed trophy recall names handled interviewed police november said led attack told court mistake court heard investigation police offered immunity prosecution gave paid flight spain missed flight home holiday approached january testimony helped expenses deposit accommodation witness told police seen attack posted note asking witnesses court heard long history drugs alcohol said known life seen attack mini sword similar making repeated stabbing motions defence told court unable describe accurately attack taken place awards memorial riots clear charge police operation night death new gold silver bronze command structure strategic tactical operational created replaced ranks roles emergency services type major incident serial awarded queen gallantry medal posthumously single fought hold crowd away fell received awarded acts great bravery memorial commissioned stands roundabout hill north london officer single governments fail focuses case rioting broke august police shot killed local man believing armed violence looting spread england days leading deaths thousands arrests
Death of Keith Blakelock