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David Norris, convicted of murdering Stephen Lawrence, has been refused parole, according to reports from the BBC. Norris, who has been incarcerated since 2012, applied for release during a parole hearing held in October. Stephen Lawrence was fatally stabbed in 1993 in a racially motivated attack in south London when he was just 18 years old. Although police have always suggested that six individuals were involved in the killing, only two perpetrators have been convicted.
During the parole hearing, Norris admitted to participating in the assault on Stephen but declined to identify the other assailants. Prior to this, he had denied any involvement in the crime. Norris’s testimony was delivered via video link from prison as he sought conditional release. Stephen’s mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, spoke out during the hearing, asserting that Norris remained a danger to society and must continue serving his sentence. The justice secretary also opposed his release. Norris has been serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, and the hearing took place 13 years after his conviction.
The attack occurred when Stephen was waiting at a bus stop in Eltham, located in south-east London. Only Norris and Gary Dobson have been found guilty, while the other four suspects were never convicted. The Metropolitan Police’s inadequate investigation into the prime suspects drew heavy criticism and ultimately led to the force being labeled as “institutionally racist” in a landmark public inquiry. Witnesses have testified that racist language was directed at Stephen just before the fatal assault.
At the parole hearing, Norris conceded he was the last person to strike Stephen, saying he attempted to punch him several times, landing at least one blow. For many years, Norris denied any involvement, refusing to cooperate with police and maintaining his innocence during the trial. Since being imprisoned, he has admitted to taking part in the attack but denies using a knife or stabbing Stephen. The hearing also revealed that Norris continued to use racist language while incarcerated, including repeating the same racial slur that had been aimed at Stephen before the attack, as captured in recordings from 2022. In a prepared statement, Norris apologized to the Lawrence family and the wider black and ethnic community for the fear and horror caused by his role in the attack. Baroness Lawrence, reading a statement on her own behalf, described Norris as having killed her son in a brutal, callous manner and said the crime changed her family’s lives forever. She expressed that she could not forgive Norris due to his lack of acceptance, remorse, and humanity. Stephen’s father has also stated that Norris must name the other killers before he could be considered safe for release. Although the Metropolitan Police closed their murder investigation in 2020, a BBC investigation prompted a new independent review of the case, which began in September
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