Luke Mitchell supporters plan to protest outside Scottish Parliament.

[Paranoid Android]

Whoever did this - the nature of the murder was horrific - clearly committed by someone who was/is psychotic or deranged - people who are psychotic/deranged don't need a motive, imo - they just commit the act.

[faithlilly]

It could indeed, I was the same. It beggars belief that one person could destroy an innocent person's life. The Scottish system is 300 years out of date.

Absolutely agree.

Joe Steele appealed his conviction 3 times before it was quashed. 20 years to clear his name and it is worth remembering that at the time he and TC Campbell were as vilified as Luke is now.

[faithlilly]

Because that was irrelevant to the evidence.

The Appeal Court judgment is still damning.

[Paranoid Android]

Sorry to disappoint those who think he did it. I'm afraid it would have been impossible for no trace of DNA to be found at the scene AND in his house despite 3 forensic searches. The timeline is also impossible and most of us know it was moved to create a window where he could have done it. The time of the murder is reasonably accurate at 5.15pm as the cyclist heard noises from over the wall. Someone please explain how LM could have walked back to his house and arrived between 525 and 530pm cleaned himself up, then be seen by several other young people near the Newbattle Abbey at 545pm? He cleaned himself up in 15 minutes and nobody saw him walking up his road full of people returning from work and children outside playing? At one time a year ago I actually thought he did do it, but the above proves otherwise. The person who did this did not walk back along the path in either direction, they exited by heading across the field towards Newbattle College and the golf club where the wooded area is much bigger and denser. The person who did this was Stocky Man. It doesn't need Inspector Clouseau to work that out.

Inspector Clouseau, aye?

How do you know the killer walked across the field to the college/golf club?

The woods towards the college/golf club aren't/weren't any more dense towards the college.

Why would Stocky Man walk towards the college/golf club?

[John]

It sounds like you are wavering on the issue of his guilt John...?

No, just considered. The evidence certainly points to his involvement but by no means beyond a reasonable doubt.

[John]

The Appeal Court judges is still damning.

I have personally engaged every court level in Scotland and let me tell you, I'm not impressed.

[John]

Sorry to disappoint those who think he did it. I'm afraid it would have been impossible for no trace of DNA to be found at the scene AND in his house despite 3 forensic searches. The timeline is also impossible and most of us know it was moved to create a window where he could have done it. The time of the murder is reasonably accurate at 5.15pm as the cyclist heard noises from over the wall. Someone please explain how LM could have walked back to his house and arrived between 525 and 530pm cleaned himself up, then be seen by several other young people near the Newbattle Abbey at 545pm? He cleaned himself up in 15 minutes and nobody saw him walking up his road full of people returning from work and children outside playing? At one time a year ago I actually thought he did do it, but the above proves otherwise. The person who did this did not walk back along the path in either direction, they exited by heading across the field towards Newbattle College and the golf club where the wooded area is much bigger and denser. The person who did this was Stocky Man. It doesn't need Inspector Clouseau to work that out.

He didn't have to go home to get cleaned up or to dispose of articles. To this day I guarantee the Scottish police have never searched the woods where I suspect items were hidden.

[Vertigo Swirl]

No, just considered. The evidence certainly points to his involvement but by no means beyond a reasonable doubt.

Then surely you should be supporting any campaign that asks for the evidence to be re-assessed?

[John]

Then surely you should be supporting any campaign that asks for the evidence to be re-assessed?

Under the current laws in Scotland that responsibility falls within the jurisdiction of the SCCRC.  Standing outside the Party building howling won't change that.

What I would support is a wholly independent review body and the scrapping of the SCCRC.  I would also demand the scrapping of the block whereby defendants are denied the right to take their case to the UK Supreme Court.

[faithlilly]

I personally accept all that Faith but his brother still failed to corrobate Luke and his mother's version of events and TO THIS DAY continues to do so.

Explain that away?

Shane corroborated his mother’s and Luke’s version of events in his first statement and subsequently, when pressure was applied he changed it.  Can you imagine the pressure for a young man of having a charge of perverting the cause of justice, which carries a custodial sentence, over your head? A charge that was coincidentally dropped just as he gave evidence. There is one sentence reported from Shane’s evidence that says it all for me ‘ He could have been there’. IMO this was the only way Shane, in his mind,  could avoid completely throwing his brother under the bus without facing a charge of perjury.

As to what Shane thinks now, do we really know? As far as I am aware he hasn’t talked about the case since his brother’s conviction. Imagine if he did change his evidence now. Would you believe him? Could he face charges? Coming forward now could impact his who life.

[John]

Shane corroborated his mother’s and Luke’s version of events in his first statement and subsequently, when pressure was applied he changed it.  Can you imagine the pressure for a young man of having a charge of perverting the cause of justice, which carries a custodial sentence, over your head? A charge that was coincidentally dropped just as he gave evidence. There is one sentence reported from Shane’s evidence that says it all for me ‘ He could have been there’. IMO this was the only way Shane, in his mind,  could avoid completely throwing his brother under the bus without facing a charge of perjury.

As to what Shane thinks now, do we really know? As far as I am aware he hasn’t talked about the case since his brother’s conviction. Imagine if he did change his evidence now. Would you believe him? Could he face charges? Coming forward now could impact his who life.

Shane was rightly warned of the consequences of committing perjury. He admitted in court that his mother had influenced his initial statement and we all know what that means in reality.

Do you really really really think that Shane Mitchell wouldn't have spoken out if he was wronged in some way?

He has kept quiet for 17 years and for good reason imo.

[faithlilly]

No, just considered. The evidence certainly points to his involvement but by no means beyond a reasonable doubt.

And that is the legal standard.

[faithlilly]

I have personally engaged every court level in Scotland and let me tell you, I'm not impressed.

I don’t wonder at that.

[faithlilly]

He didn't have to go home to get cleaned up or to dispose of articles. To this day I guarantee the Scottish police have never searched the woods where I suspect items were hidden.

Then why not dispose of the parka too? Why take it back for his mum to burn? Wasn’t that risky?

[Vertigo Swirl]

Shane corroborated his mother’s and Luke’s version of events in his first statement and subsequently, when pressure was applied he changed it.  Can you imagine the pressure for a young man of having a charge of perverting the cause of justice, which carries a custodial sentence, over your head? A charge that was coincidentally dropped just as he gave evidence. There is one sentence reported from Shane’s evidence that says it all for me ‘ He could have been there’. IMO this was the only way Shane, in his mind,  could avoid completely throwing his brother under the bus without facing a charge of perjury.

As to what Shane thinks now, do we really know? As far as I am aware he hasn’t talked about the case since his brother’s conviction. Imagine if he did change his evidence now. Would you believe him? Could he face charges? Coming forward now could impact his who life.

Strange he wasn’t standing by his mother’s side in the documentary then wasn’t it?