DLM
01-19-2005, 09:33 AM
Hammer killer Stone loses appeal
Wednesday January 19, 02:10 PM
LONDON (Reuters) - Michael Stone, given three life sentences for murdering a mother and daughter as they walked along a country lane in 1996, has lost his second appeal against conviction.
Stone was jailed in 1998 for the murder of Lin Russell, 45, and six-year old Megan who were bludgeoned to death with a hammer in Kent, southeast England.
Megan's sister Josie, then aged nine, was smashed repeatedly over the head, but miraculously survived, and her extraordinary struggle to overcome her injuries has been closely followed by the British media.
There was however, no forensic or witness evidence against Stone, who was convicted largely on the strength of a jail cell confession he denies making.
Stone, 43, who has always denied the horrific 1996 attack, stood impassively in the dock, as Lord Justice Christopher Rose announced Wednesday's decision at London's High Court. He merely looked across the court to his sister Barbara and shrugged.
"There isn't a scrap of evidence," she told reporters afterwards.
"We want justice, all of us. We want the true murderer apprehended and caught and put into prison where he belongs."
Stone's lawyer said the family was now considering appealing to the House of Lords.
"We will have to wait until we have heard the full reasons in court on Friday," Derek Hayward said.
At his first trial, Stone was given three life sentences on the evidence of a key prosecution witness, Barry Thompson, who later admitted he had lied.
A retrial was ordered and in 2001 Stone was again given three life sentences, largely based on an alleged confession to fellow inmate Damien Daley, 26, at Canterbury Prison.
Daley, who was on remand at the time, claimed he heard a voice through a heating pipe admitting to the murders, but Stone maintains it was not his voice.
Stone's lawyers told the appeal Daley had been shown to be a liar and that the judge in the second trial should have directed the jury about the reliability of such evidence.
Lin Russell's husband Shaun said in a statement he believed the justice system had been fair to all involved.
"Josie and I have made an effort to put our memories of this terrible affair behind us, especially as nothing can bring back Josie's mother Lin and sister Megan," he said.
Wednesday January 19, 02:10 PM
LONDON (Reuters) - Michael Stone, given three life sentences for murdering a mother and daughter as they walked along a country lane in 1996, has lost his second appeal against conviction.
Stone was jailed in 1998 for the murder of Lin Russell, 45, and six-year old Megan who were bludgeoned to death with a hammer in Kent, southeast England.
Megan's sister Josie, then aged nine, was smashed repeatedly over the head, but miraculously survived, and her extraordinary struggle to overcome her injuries has been closely followed by the British media.
There was however, no forensic or witness evidence against Stone, who was convicted largely on the strength of a jail cell confession he denies making.
Stone, 43, who has always denied the horrific 1996 attack, stood impassively in the dock, as Lord Justice Christopher Rose announced Wednesday's decision at London's High Court. He merely looked across the court to his sister Barbara and shrugged.
"There isn't a scrap of evidence," she told reporters afterwards.
"We want justice, all of us. We want the true murderer apprehended and caught and put into prison where he belongs."
Stone's lawyer said the family was now considering appealing to the House of Lords.
"We will have to wait until we have heard the full reasons in court on Friday," Derek Hayward said.
At his first trial, Stone was given three life sentences on the evidence of a key prosecution witness, Barry Thompson, who later admitted he had lied.
A retrial was ordered and in 2001 Stone was again given three life sentences, largely based on an alleged confession to fellow inmate Damien Daley, 26, at Canterbury Prison.
Daley, who was on remand at the time, claimed he heard a voice through a heating pipe admitting to the murders, but Stone maintains it was not his voice.
Stone's lawyers told the appeal Daley had been shown to be a liar and that the judge in the second trial should have directed the jury about the reliability of such evidence.
Lin Russell's husband Shaun said in a statement he believed the justice system had been fair to all involved.
"Josie and I have made an effort to put our memories of this terrible affair behind us, especially as nothing can bring back Josie's mother Lin and sister Megan," he said.