Intro and Crime Scene Analysis
Stephen Lawrence was a Black British man from Eltham, south east London, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus on the evening of April 22nd, 1993. The case became one of the highest profile racial killings in UK history and created profound cultural changes to attitudes on racism, the law and police practice, and the partial revocation of double jeopardy laws.
Stephen Lawrence was born on 13 September 1974 to Jamaican parents who had emigrated to the UK in the 1960s. His father was Neville Lawrence, a carpenter, and his mother was Doreen, a special needs teacher. Brought up in Plumstead, South-East London, he was the eldest of three children. During his teenage years, Lawrence excelled in running, competing for the local athletics club. At the time of his death he was studying technology, physics, and the English Language, and was hoping to become an architect.
Lawrence had spent the day of Thursday 22 April 1993 at Blackheath Bluecoat School. After this, he travelled by bus to an uncle's house in Plumstead. He was joined there by a friend, Duwayne Brooks, and they played video games until leaving in the late evening. After realising that the bus they were travelling on would get them home late, they decided to change buses. A group of five or six white youths coming from opposite side of the street started moving towards them. Lawrence was forced down and then received two stab wounds to a depth of about 5 inches (13 cm) on both sides of the front of his body, in the right collarbone and left shoulder. Both of the stab wounds severed axillary arteries before penetrating a lung. As a result, Lawrence lost all feeling in his right arm and his breathing was constricted, while he was losing blood from four major blood vessels. Brooks began running, and shouted for Lawrence to run to escape with him. While the attackers disappeared, they both ran, though Lawrence collapsed and bled to death after running 130 yards (120 m).Brooks ran to call an ambulance while an off-duty police officer stopped his car and covered Lawrence with a blanket. Lawrence was taken to hospital by 11:05 pm, but he was already dead. Within three days of the crime, prime suspects had been identified. No arrests were made, however, until over two weeks after the killing.
Stephen Lawrence was born on 13 September 1974 to Jamaican parents who had emigrated to the UK in the 1960s. His father was Neville Lawrence, a carpenter, and his mother was Doreen, a special needs teacher. Brought up in Plumstead, South-East London, he was the eldest of three children. During his teenage years, Lawrence excelled in running, competing for the local athletics club. At the time of his death he was studying technology, physics, and the English Language, and was hoping to become an architect.
Lawrence had spent the day of Thursday 22 April 1993 at Blackheath Bluecoat School. After this, he travelled by bus to an uncle's house in Plumstead. He was joined there by a friend, Duwayne Brooks, and they played video games until leaving in the late evening. After realising that the bus they were travelling on would get them home late, they decided to change buses. A group of five or six white youths coming from opposite side of the street started moving towards them. Lawrence was forced down and then received two stab wounds to a depth of about 5 inches (13 cm) on both sides of the front of his body, in the right collarbone and left shoulder. Both of the stab wounds severed axillary arteries before penetrating a lung. As a result, Lawrence lost all feeling in his right arm and his breathing was constricted, while he was losing blood from four major blood vessels. Brooks began running, and shouted for Lawrence to run to escape with him. While the attackers disappeared, they both ran, though Lawrence collapsed and bled to death after running 130 yards (120 m).Brooks ran to call an ambulance while an off-duty police officer stopped his car and covered Lawrence with a blanket. Lawrence was taken to hospital by 11:05 pm, but he was already dead. Within three days of the crime, prime suspects had been identified. No arrests were made, however, until over two weeks after the killing.
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