Getting away with murder
Phill | 09.09.2002 00:46
A JURY AT St Albans Crown Court sat impassively as 20-year-old Daniel Jethoo repeatedly plunged a three-foot Samurai sword into 23-year-old Bradley Knight in Waltham Cross High Street on December 21st last year...
Getting away with murder
A JURY AT St Albans Crown Court sat impassively as 20-year-old Daniel Jethoo repeatedly plunged a three-foot Samurai sword into 23-year-old Bradley Knight in Waltham Cross High Street on December 21st last year.
They were watching close-circuit television footage of the attack and clearly heard Jethoo shout "I am the top nigger" as he slashed out at Mr Knight and his workmate Peter Matthais as they made their way home after their firm's Christmas meal at a local Chinese restuaurant.
Bradley Knight died in Enfield hospital the next day while his colleague was treated for injuries to his heart, lungs, liver and hands after trying to grab the sword. The jurors also witnessed clear pictures of Jethoo kicking and spitting onto Mr Knight's prostrate body as he lay dying in the street.
But despite seeing the crime committed before their very eyes, the jury found Daniel Jethoo not guilty of the murder and not guilty of the attempted murder of Peter Matthais.
What on earth could have influenced 12 just and true men and women to disregard the evidence of their very eyes.
Jethoo's defence rested on the fact that he had been racially abused earlier in the evening. He had been called "a coon" and "a nigger" by people unknown and this had so upset him that he had gone home and returned to the seen of this abuse armed with his Samurai sword.
Bradley Knight and Peter Matthais just happened to be walking by when Jethoo returned, and although they had never seen or spoken to him before, he attacked them because he was so upset.
Apparently, according to the St Albans Crown Court jury, being verbally racially abused provides mitigating circumstances when butchering an innocent by-stander to death.
So someone who has been racially abused cannot be held responsible for their actions and the law will take into account this fact should they commit a crime while still suffering from the effects of racial abuse.
It's a ruling that will welcomed by the criminal classes amongst our ethnic minorities. who will no doubt ensure that they will be suffering from racial abuse when they commit their next crime.
For the rest of us, we must accept that murder isn't murder if there has been the provocation of racial abuse. Now that is a chilling message.
A JURY AT St Albans Crown Court sat impassively as 20-year-old Daniel Jethoo repeatedly plunged a three-foot Samurai sword into 23-year-old Bradley Knight in Waltham Cross High Street on December 21st last year.
They were watching close-circuit television footage of the attack and clearly heard Jethoo shout "I am the top nigger" as he slashed out at Mr Knight and his workmate Peter Matthais as they made their way home after their firm's Christmas meal at a local Chinese restuaurant.
Bradley Knight died in Enfield hospital the next day while his colleague was treated for injuries to his heart, lungs, liver and hands after trying to grab the sword. The jurors also witnessed clear pictures of Jethoo kicking and spitting onto Mr Knight's prostrate body as he lay dying in the street.
But despite seeing the crime committed before their very eyes, the jury found Daniel Jethoo not guilty of the murder and not guilty of the attempted murder of Peter Matthais.
What on earth could have influenced 12 just and true men and women to disregard the evidence of their very eyes.
Jethoo's defence rested on the fact that he had been racially abused earlier in the evening. He had been called "a coon" and "a nigger" by people unknown and this had so upset him that he had gone home and returned to the seen of this abuse armed with his Samurai sword.
Bradley Knight and Peter Matthais just happened to be walking by when Jethoo returned, and although they had never seen or spoken to him before, he attacked them because he was so upset.
Apparently, according to the St Albans Crown Court jury, being verbally racially abused provides mitigating circumstances when butchering an innocent by-stander to death.
So someone who has been racially abused cannot be held responsible for their actions and the law will take into account this fact should they commit a crime while still suffering from the effects of racial abuse.
It's a ruling that will welcomed by the criminal classes amongst our ethnic minorities. who will no doubt ensure that they will be suffering from racial abuse when they commit their next crime.
For the rest of us, we must accept that murder isn't murder if there has been the provocation of racial abuse. Now that is a chilling message.
Phill