Daniel Morgan Murder

[sean]

Just got this via ITN twitter:
The prosecution of 3 men for the murder of private detective Daniel Morgan, found with an axe in his head 24 years ago, collapsed today

[pip]

It was the 24th Aniversary of Daniels murder yesterday. His poor mother laid a wreath at the scene.

[bigbadwolf]

The aquitted defendants being:(L-R) Glenn Vian, his brother Garry Vian, and businessman James Cook.

[sean]

Just found this on BBC
The family of private detective Daniel Morgan has called for a judicial inquiry after his multimillion-pound murder case collapsed on the 24th anniversary of his death.

They said: "The criminal justice system is not fit for purpose."

Mr Morgan was found with an axe in his head in a pub car park on 10 March 1987, in a case which has become one of Britain's longest unsolved murders.

No-one has been brought to justice despite five police inquiries.

Mr Morgan, 37, a father-of-two from Monmouthshire, was found with an axe embedded in his skull outside the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, in March 1987.

[bigbadwolf]

My guess is that the investigation surrounding the murder of Daniel Morgan will never bring anyone to justice. The reason being that it has been mired by corruption, cover-ups and stalling from the very beginning.

[Hill Dweller]

I suppose it's too simple to think that there's simply no hard evidence?



Whoever thinks (or guesses) there must be, and puts it in print, must surely also have hard evidence of crap like 'corruption'.
Too easy a 'point' BBW.


.

[bigbadwolf]

I suppose it's too simple to think that there's simply no hard evidence?

I suppose it's just a coincidence that Sid Fillery - who, at the time of the murder, was a serving detective with the MET - was moonlighting for Morgan and Rees' private detective company Southern Investigations.

Also, don't you find it strange that the MET, over the course of twenty four years, has failed and obstructed the CPS with regards to submitting all of the case files covering Morgan's murder? Those are the CPS's words, not mine.

[Hill Dweller]

Got worthwhile links for all that BBW?

As far as I'm aware CPS receive evidence, they do not gather it, so how can the assertions you say they've made about what's missing be reliable?
Their job is discrete from those of detectives for good reason.

It's also true that CPS are well known for refusing to prosecute, being mostly made up of newly-qualified lawyers they don't want recorded fails in their early career.
So if a prosecution just went ahead (albeit failed) it must have been because of what they did hold, hardly likely they knew there was more

Was Daniel Morgan moonlighting as a PI?

I do realise lots of the opposite happened ... 70s/80s and people being fitted up due to public pressure needs.

Believe me I know about the downside of the tightening up of the quality of evidence ..... I'm recently a sufferer from it in a 2-way 'his word against mine' situation and will stay out of pocket BUT far rather that than, in other situations, the wrong people being imprisoned.
It was certainly a horrendous murder (I'd never heard of it till today).

[bigbadwolf]

Got worthwhile links for all that BBW?

I normally loathe the Grauniad, but they're the only source of media covering recent developments.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/1 ... iel-morgan

[Hill Dweller]

Yep, the Grundian (compounded) also placed faith in Assange while it suited them


Edit:
toa dd the Beeb's 'take' on it
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12712119
Wholly unacceptable'

Metropolitan Police Det Chief Supt Hamish Campbell said: "This current investigation has identified, ever more clearly, how the initial inquiry failed the family and wider public.

"It is quite apparent that police corruption was a debilitating factor in that investigation. This was wholly unacceptable.

"Significant changes have occurred since that time. Nevertheless there are important issues which we need to examine now in order to understand what led to today's decision."

The CPS statement said: "We have decided that a prosecution cannot continue in these circumstances. We cannot be confident that the defence necessarily have all of the material that they are entitled to.

"This point would be raised by the defence during any trial, so we are no longer satisfied that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction."

.

[admin]

Got worthwhile links for all that

Can I caution everybody that a trial has collapsed and there is great passion about who is guilty or not. Anyone conversant with the case will have heard many stories and names.

However, this is a public forum and it is important that no one gets libelled or defamed. Or there will be no forum.

IMHO the best and possibly the most reliable report of the background of the case may be found here: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/committees/mpa/2005/051027/10/

Many of you may find that damming in itself. It is public domain. So please do not go beyond that content or I will remove it - as I hope you will understand.

Admin

[simon]

Police corruption and CPS incompetence has been acknowledged. The Morgan family have been really let down by the CPS and the Police and my thoughts are with them.

[Hill Dweller]

Police corruption and CPS incompetence has been acknowledged. The Morgan family have been really let down by the CPS and the Police and my thoughts are with them.

Yep, they have been indeed and wouldn't it have been surprising to see some acknowledgement of THAT (ie: how things ARE)?

I'm even content that although my 'adversary' would never be convincing in court (or anywhere) he will not be prosecuted on the basis that my word (with no evidence on either side) would be taken.

Hence I wonder why this trial was attempted yet again ..... this failure is surely down to CPS, evidence is supposed to be complete in order for a trial to take place, especially when it's a repeat.

[Dorian]

Hence I wonder why this trial was attempted yet again ..... this failure is surely down to CPS, evidence is supposed to be complete in order for a trial to take place, especially when it's a repeat.

Quite correct, HD

"Not only must Justice be done; it must also be seen to be done.",

Its an excercise in trying to show an attempt at the latter of this quote whilst having no regard for the former.

[Hill Dweller]

It's the CPS that have chucked in the towel.




As for someting being described as 'an exercise in trying to blahdy blah' waffle


From my bbc link :
Analysis
Chris Summers BBC News

Behind the headline figure of £30m spent on a police investigation and legal expenses is the human cost.

In the early 1990s, while working on a weekly newspaper, I met Daniel Morgan's brother, Alastair, who came in to do work experience. Over the years I have spoken to him several times.

He and his elderly mother, Isobel, will be devastated at this latest turn of events.

The trial was due to start last year but was delayed by legal argument as the defence sought more disclosure about the evidence.

As witness after witness was undermined and more and more was disclosed about the police investigation, prosecutor Nicholas Hilliard QC resembled a man carrying a box full of sand with a hole in the bottom.

Reporters at the Old Bailey were unable to report any of the proceedings until now because of the increasingly slim chance that a trial would take place in the spring.

Now the CPS has finally thrown the towel in and the mystery of who killed Daniel Morgan will remain unsolved.
.

[simon]

Notwithstanding Admin's plea not to name people, Jonathan Rees has been named elsewhere and reporting restrictions have been lifted. What a scumbag that man is. Who knows how much Andy Coulson knew about his prison term when he hired him to work for the News of the World when he got out of chokey, but it surely raises further questions about Coulson's judgement and that of the PM who hired him.
I really hope that the family's demands for a judicial inquiry are met and that, after £30 million of public money has been spent, this case is finally resolved with guilty parties convicted. I wont hold my breath though.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... athan-rees

[ALIB]

I realise tabloids are not known for their articulate reporting, however, the link below to The Sun (in my opinion), simply sums up the case extremely well.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... fails.html

[Hill Dweller]

Sun article refers to Rees as 'William' but the Grundian as 'Jonathan'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/ma ... or-tabloid



It also inflates what others have described as £30M to fifty of 'em

[ALIB]

i was going to defend The Sun, and launch into a scathing attack on the broadsheets.

However , The Sun also gets gets Daniel Morgans brothers name wrong,

woefully shocking reporting

[Tim Lund]

Astonishingly, the Sun also fails to pick up on the Guardian story about the links between Rees and Murdoch's News International