Luke Mitchell - All quiet?

[faithlilly]

"Why go all the way to Edinburgh?" Surely not a serious question Chris. I'll let you refresh yourself on some geography and places where he got his tattoo amongst other things. A place he hung out with his mates, his girlfriend also shortly before the murder. Their main town with many suburbs, one of which the Mitchells stayed in. The Capital, teaming with all sorts of shops, namely ones that sold army surplus and the likes.

Tell me Chris, who was there when they arrived home from their shopping trip, checking purchases and receipts? All rather different from one purchased in whatever time frame pre the murder. As stated, something easily gotten rid of in a fire (if still had the receipt for an older purchase) and so much more besides.

It appears that Luke was a frequent visitor to Flip. Bit of a silly move then to buy a new parka from somewhere where he may have been recognised.

 Those awful Mitchell’s…..criminal geniuses one minute and little better than novices the next.

[Mr Apples]

Why go all the way to Edinburgh?  Also there was a receipt for the parka bought after the murder.

I've had a few drinks tonight, Chris, so bear with me. Hope this makes sense. Here goes ........

Luke lived in Newbattle -- a mere settlement with a population of literally a few hundred people (or less). Not exactly a place where one could buy trendy teenage clothing & parka jackets. The nearest town to Newbattle is Dalkeith, which has a mere population of 15 thousand (or less) and a town centre that is very limited in terms of clothes shops for teenagers, etc. So, in actual fact, Edinburgh was -- and still is -- the nearest major town/city for people living in Dalkeith to go shopping (outwith online shopping, of course).

Was there a receipt for the parka bought on 08.07.03? If there was a receipt for the parka bought after the murder, it was, in all likelihood, simply because the Mitchells were caught off guard by the phone call by the Flip Clothing manager (Colin) to police, tipping them off about the Mitchell purchases that day in their shop; it was by pure chance they got caught buying a parka on 08.07.03. And I doubt it was a credit card/debit card purchase, since an intelligent woman like CM would be aware that the police would able to trace all electronic transactions (assuming, of course, that their intention was to replace the old parka destroyed in the fire with a new one, without anyone finding out). Or maybe CM was short-sighted and lacked perception, relying on lack of DNA and eyewitness testimony getting her son off. Maybe she wasn't actually too concerned about the original parka or the new one, since she knew that the old one with the (likely) incriminating DNA on it (ie, Jodi's blood) was destroyed completely? I think the Mitchells underestimated how perceptive and thorough the police actually were, and it led to their downfall (along with other circumstantial evidence that arose by mere chance/luck).

[Mr Apples]

It appears that Luke was a frequent visitor to Flip. Bit of a silly move then to buy a new parka from somewhere where he may have been recognised.

 Those awful Mitchell’s…..criminal geniuses one minute and little better than novices the next.

Even you can do better than that. Sheesh!

[Vertigo Swirl]

Has anyone ever claimed that the Mitchells were criminal geniuses?  I mean criminal geniuses don’t usually end up in prison for their first murder do they…?

[faithlilly]

Even you can do better than that. Sheesh!

Which part?

[Joe Blogs]

Even you can do better than that. Sheesh!

No, Faith is quite right, Mr Apples.
If the Mitchells were trying to sneakily replace the 'alleged' parka that was destroyed, then it was stupidity to go to a shop where they were known, definately risky.
Why not send Shane into Edinburgh to buy a parka at a random shop somewhere?
Or at least take Luke to a shop where they were unknown.
Far more sensible.
No, you have to admit that the Mitchells didn't act like they cared who knew that they bought a parka that day.

[Vertigo Swirl]

No, Faith is quite right, Mr Apples.
If the Mitchells were trying to sneakily replace the 'alleged' parka that was destroyed, then it was stupidity to go to a shop where they were known, definately risky.
Why not send Shane into Edinburgh to buy a parka at a random shop somewhere?
Or at least take Luke to a shop where they were unknown.
Far more sensible.
No, you have to admit that the Mitchells didn't act like they cared who knew that they bought a parka that day.

If you bought a coat in a big city shop six or twelve months ago would you expect the staff there to remember that you’d been in many months previously bought a similar coat?  I certainly wouldn’t.  Fact of the matter is, the staff there DID recognise him off the telly/newspapers anyway and told the police he’d been in.  And - there’s more than one army surplus / vintage type shop in Edinburgh anyway or st least there certainly used to, in fact (I may be wrong here) but I think back in the late 90s there used to be 2 Flips in Edinburgh on the same street or very near each other.  Perhaps one was a copycat version.

[Joe Blogs]

If you bought a coat in a big city shop six or twelve months ago would you expect the staff there to remember that you’d been in many months previously bought a similar coat?  I certainly wouldn’t.  Fact of the matter is, the staff there DID recognise him off the telly/newspapers anyway and told the police he’d been in.  And - there’s more than one army surplus / vintage type shop in Edinburgh anyway or st least there certainly used to, in fact (I may be wrong here) but I think back in the late 90s there used to be 2 Flips in Edinburgh on the same street or very near each other.  Perhaps one was a copycat version.

But thats the point Faith was makng, Vertigo. Why go to a shop you may be known in to replace the 'allegedy' burned parka?
Especially if the papers had drawn attention to the Mitchells by raiding their house by then.
As I said, why not send Shane to buy a parka if it was a furtive mission to replace the parka before anyone knew it was missing, as Mr Apples suggests?
Hardly a furtive, sneaky mission simply going to Flip surely, especially when it was Luke and mum buying it.
According to Mr Apples, the Mitchells would have had to change their plan from replacing the parka before anyone noticed to denying point blank that Luke owned a parka before the murder.
All because the Mitchells were simply upfront buying the parka, no covert action taken at all.
Thats what Faith is talking about.
And remember, it is a fact that LM clothing had just been taken by police which needed replacing, including his Bomber and other clothing taken on the night of the murder.

[Vertigo Swirl]

But thats the point Faith was makng, Vertigo. Why go to a shop you may be known in to replace the 'allegedy' burned parka?
Especially if the papers had drawn attention to the Mitchells by raiding their house by then.
As I said, why not send Shane to buy a parka if it was a furtive mission to replace the parka before anyone knew it was missing, as Mr Apples suggests?
Hardly a furtive, sneaky mission simply going to Flip surely, especially when it was Luke and mum buying it.
According to Mr Apples, the Mitchells would have had to change their plan from replacing the parka before anyone noticed to denying point blank that Luke owned a parka before the murder.
All because the Mitchells were simply upfront buying the parka, no covert action taken at all.
Thats what Faith is talking about.
And remember, it is a fact that LM clothing had just been taken by police which needed replacing, including his Bomber and other clothing taken on the night of the murder.

Did the Mitchells know at this point about the numerous sightings of him suggesting he was wearing a parka that night?  Do you think it’s simply coincidence that they bought a new parka that matched the description of some of the witnesses?

[faithlilly]

But thats the point Faith was makng, Vertigo. Why go to a shop you may be known in to replace the 'allegedy' burned parka?
Especially if the papers had drawn attention to the Mitchells by raiding their house by then.
As I said, why not send Shane to buy a parka if it was a furtive mission to replace the parka before anyone knew it was missing, as Mr Apples suggests?
Hardly a furtive, sneaky mission simply going to Flip surely, especially when it was Luke and mum buying it.
According to Mr Apples, the Mitchells would have had to change their plan from replacing the parka before anyone noticed to denying point blank that Luke owned a parka before the murder.
All because the Mitchells were simply upfront buying the parka, no covert action taken at all.
Thats what Faith is talking about.
And remember, it is a fact that LM clothing had just been taken by police which needed replacing, including his Bomber and other clothing taken on the night of the murder.

Why not replace the parka before the house was searched? Why wait until the police knew that it was missing? Surely it would have been better to have the parka taken away with the rest of Luke’s clothes than drawing attention to it’s absence?

Why buy the same jacket Luke had allegedly been wearing during the murder? He certainly knew that he’d been seen by several witness so it makes no sense to tie himself to the scene in such a way.

[Kenmair]

It is interesting that you speak so disparaging of Corrine who ran a family business while not applying the same standards to the Jones family who were, by any measure, feckless and rather dysfunctional.

Why would I apply anything to the Jones family? Their daughter being murdered had nothing to do with them but it had a lot to do with CM's dishonesty and encouraged a hate campaign against them.

In a YT podcast a few years ago (James English?), CM was asked how she knew for sure LM wasn't the killer and replied that she knows her son and what he's like. Why not say she saw him in the kitchen?

At least 8 people witnessed him with a parka pre-murder but she lied that he didn't. She lied to get him a tattoo etc. which Turnbull made a point of. Her court testimony is all over the place - she lied.
 

[Joe Blogs]

Did the Mitchells know at this point about the numerous sightings of him suggesting he was wearing a parka that night?  Do you think it’s simply coincidence that they bought a new parka that matched the description of some of the witnesses?

Thats a good question, Vertigo.
Although it wouldn't really matter would it, if they had decided to replace it anyway.
Dont know when a parka jacket was finally decided on by the police?
Bryson had mentioned a fishing jacket of course, then there was Flem/Walsh, Heatlie, O'sullivans and bike boys.
All with varying accounts of the jacket Luke was wearing.
Even an army shirt was mentioned of course. Only thing they seemed to agree on roughly was the colour.
I suppose it was around this time that the police tried to find out what kind/s of jacket LM owned in order to work out what the witnesses actually saw.
The Bomber jacket which we know for a fact LM owned and claimed to be wearing the whole day of the murder was dismissed of course.
Obviously the police couldn't accept the obvious [Bomber], because the Bomber was seized that night and didn't have any blood on it!
Hence the police had to claim that all the witnesses had actually seen LM in a long parka jacket which he wandered up and down Newbattle Road in for the most of an hour before going home and burning it sometime between 6.30-10.00.
Again, obviously the police had to claim that all the murder clothing had been destroyed due to the fact that they couldn't find anything blood stained.Without the 'invention' of the parka and its destruction there was no case against LM obviously,

[Joe Blogs]

Why not replace the parka before the house was searched? Why wait until the police knew that it was missing? Surely it would have been better to have the parka taken away with the rest of Luke’s clothes than drawing attention to it’s absence?

Why buy the same jacket Luke had allegedly been wearing during the murder? He certainly knew that he’d been seen by several witness so it makes no sense to tie himself to the scene in such a way.

Exactly Faith, the Mitchells should have replaced the parka ASAP.

[Joe Blogs]

Did the Mitchells know at this point about the numerous sightings of him suggesting he was wearing a parka that night?  Do you think it’s simply coincidence that they bought a new parka that matched the description of some of the witnesses?

Which witness described or mentioned the word parka, Vertigo?
Only the two bike boys told the police what Luke was wearing without any prompting or looking at photos I believe.
Yet the bike boys evidence was ignored and swept aside.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Which witness described or mentioned the word parka, Vertigo?
Only the two bike boys told the police what Luke was wearing without any prompting or looking at photos I believe.
Yet the bike boys evidence was ignored and swept aside.

If I am not mistaken numerous witnesses mentioned that prior to the murder Luke used to wear a knaki coat or jacket closely resembling the parka that he subsequently went out and purchased.  Was this garment ever located and if not why do you think that was?