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IAIN MCKIE, father of former detective Shirley McKie, from Ayr, warns the forensic foundation of our entire legal system is under threat.
FOR well over a century police, lawyers, judges and juries have accepted forensic evidence without question. But now as "light is being let in on the magic", fingerprinting, DNA, footwear, firearm and the other such evidence is being challenged and f
ound wanting.

The Omagh bombing, the World's End Murders, the Templeton Woods murder and the SCRO fingerprint case have all shown that previously infallible evidence is indeed fallible and finally the prosecution system is being forced to review its whole forensic strategy (your report, 22 December).

While this is bad enough, Lockerbie and other cases have also revealed evidence of police and Crown Office incompetence, political intrigue and a court and legal system struggling to cope.

A system where justice takes forever and at a prohibitive cost. Slowly the realisation is dawning that we are faced with a justice system no longer fit for purpose. A system where there is very real danger of the innocent being found guilty and the guilty escaping punishment. Instead of the usual face saving "first aid" aimed at preserving the power and privilege of those within the system, the time is long overdue for broad ranging public and political debate aimed at creating an open, accountable and accessible system.



The full article contains 229 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 31 December 2007 9:02 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

freethekillie2,

kilmarnock 02/01/2008 20:57:15
Well said Iain

scottish justice 2008 in meltdown
when will they learn
time to fight against a system that has let us all down.

2

Guje, Annies´ mother,

Sweden 02/01/2008 21:30:32
Thank you Iain Mckie for your clear sighted letter.

It is high time Scotland gets a true justice system that serves its people. All of us who have lost our loved ones under mysterious circumstances and been denied proper investigations, have been innocently inprisoned or been denied care or justice in other ways, all need a change of the existing system.

A well functioning legal system is the foundation of a true democracy. Please join the discussion of how to make Scotland that democracy! Please read; http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/2008_Conference_Scottish_Justice_An_agenda_for_change__about47.html

Best wishes for truth and justice 2008, Guje Borgesson, Annie's mother; www.annierockstar.com
3

Annies Angels,

02/01/2008 22:04:08
* 2008 THE YEAR OF JUSTICE *

Something must be done about this nonchalant attitude against the people.

This must be a wake up call for everyone but especially the authorities.

They must open their eyes and take a deep breath of the cool and fresh air from the Highlands!

Remember their heritage and remember that they are not only elected by the people to the different positions that they have, but also remember that they are very important symbols for Scotland and its people, young and old.

It is commonly known that the word JUSTICE will not bring any money in to the countries budget, and therefore it is so very easy not to mention TRUTH and JUSTICE at your meetings but without JUSTICE the fundamental piece in a Democracy is missing, and we all know that you can not build anything when several very important bricks are missing. If you still do, what you have built will fall into pieces as soon as there is a storm.
And mark my words there is a storm building up!

The question is; where are the elected people within the Scottish Politics and authorities, ready to make the Scottish legal system function.

Where are the Scottish people, men and woman, worthy wearing the KILT with the TARTAN colours of TRUTH and JUSTICE?
4

2Right,

On Location 03/01/2008 03:48:49
The system if run by proper experts and not ones who work solely for the Crown Office would be fine.
I take issue when blatant rules are exploited and evidence is fabricated and planted and when witnesses often change their minds to fit the case.
these are the issues alone that tarnish the name of Scots justice, And there are too many to mention here.
Yes Iain, We need a Crown Office fit for purpose but also free to root out all the liars and fabricators.
We need a sysytem willing to punish those caught telling lies.
We so desperately need a system that seeks Justice at all costs, and not as we have at the moment, A system that puts "Conviction" first.
Having just read a recent case from the Disclosure appeal, i am greatly concerned that the Judge was more concerned with who would meet the costs than Justice.
He was concerned that the defence was looking for a needle in a haystack and not that they sought Justice, Not that they sought to decide what was a needle in a haystack or not.
At present despite recent case Law, Crown are being left to decide what is exculpatory or not.
This does nothing to enhance public confidence that Equality of arms is being afforded equaly.
According to Holland and Sinclair cases from Privy Council coomplete disclosure is a must, yet in the recent Dixon case the Court refused Full Disclosure.
This and the many other cases known, do nothing to restore confidence in an already discredited system.
If Crown Office Start the year with no more Hiding Evidence then maybe the public will start to trust them again.
5

Annies Angels,

03/01/2008 21:51:37
Life is so very, very fragile. If YOU are at the wrong place at the wrong time you could be pointed out by a shocked and scared witness. You could be put to jail innocent for a crime that you did not commit. “Evidence could be fabricated and planted and some witnesses could change their minds to fit the case”. "Police, lawyers, judges and juries have accepted the forensic evidence without questions".
And then when you are put in jail, the ones who did the crime are free, dancing and laughing. The Police, lawyers, judges, juries and witnesses are sleeping well and safe in their own beds. Your family, relative’s friends and neighbours are devastated, they can not do anything they are almost powerless. You are soon suffering from the Trauma of being innocently put to jail and will develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder that makes you so ill that you are not able to sleep properly, your mind and your body is suffering from the stress so that you can for example die from a heart attach.
If You are strong enough to keep holding on to the hope that Your innocence will be brought up to light and that You will be released from this Nightmare you still have a change to manage to survive the constant Trauma that you repeatedly will endure during Your time in Jail. When it is finally “perhaps” shown that “previously infallible evidence is indeed fallible and finally the prosecution system is being forced to look at Your case.

Then another nightmare begins!

Do you get any support at all when You are free and released from jail?

Like Trauma experts, cancelling? NO! You have to face all the daily tasks, on your own big and small. Buy groceries making dinner, go to the post office etc how do you manage that when you have spent all those years in prison.

And now when You are finally PROVEN innocent You are also forced to fight for Your rights to receive COMPENSATION and APOLOGIESES for all those stolen years in jail!

You might even receive a bill from the Ja
6

Annies Angels,

03/01/2008 21:56:22
continuing from abow;

You might even receive a bill from the Jail!
They can actually request that you pay for Bed and Breakfast!

If Your family and friends have had the strength to fight for You and have been campaigning all those years that You have been in jail. Will they get any Trauma experts, cancelling or other help for the pain that they have suffered?

Is it possible to get that help retroactively? No of course not!

Life could end very quickly, and you could be found dead without any axe or knife in you body. And if your body is found in water, a lot of forensic evidence is gone. And if your clothes are pulled off your dead body, and not being very carefully cut off, more evidence are destroyed!
The bruising and injuries and DNA from unknown persons that are found on your body could be explained as being no Evidence of a trauma ante mortem, meaning no one murdered you.

And this is not even important for the authorities to inform your family about, so they might not receive any information at all about the DNA until several years later, if they have the strength to fight for it.

Forensic evidence! One family had to wait 1, 5 year, for a Test to be done, to finally be able to bury their beloved daughter. When the test was done the specialists told the family that they could not state anything from the results, and that the test should have been done during the exact circumstances day and time as the day she was found dead.

Need I mention what the family and friends went through during this time of waiting, knowing that their loved one was lying in deep freeze? Inhuman!

Do we have to have a Forensic Specialist with us wherever we go so that we can be sure that evidence and tests are preformed and stated?


7

Annies Angels,

03/01/2008 21:59:00
In Kevin Mcleods case;

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/KevinM_std.html

A post mortem report reveals that the body have sustained what appeared to be, serious and of themselves, highly unusual abdominal injuries?

Is that Forensic evidence?


In Annie Davies case;

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/Annie_std.html

46 Pathologists/Forensic Scientists, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel could all agree death was the result of a crime.

Is that Forensic evidence??


In Annie Borjesson case;

www.annieborjesson.com

A Forensic Specialist states that he has never during his career seen so much water inside a drowned person.

Is that Forensic evidence?


Studying some post mortem reports I have noticed that in some of the reports statements and conclusions are missing, test results etc all post mortem reports looks different!

Are there no rules of how a post-mortem report should be written?!




8

Guje, Annies´ mother,

Sweden 03/01/2008 23:09:34
Dear Readers.

Dec. 4, 2005 my daughter Annie Borjesson was found dead on the shore close to the airport in Prestwick from where she always travelled back to Sweden.

Since that day I have been struggeling to get the truth about her death. However the Strathclyde Police immedeately decided my daughter had comitted suicide by drowning herself. These are some of the questions I have to the Police and Crown Office:

How do you drown yourself in no water at all? The place where Annie was found is so shallow you would have to walk for several hundreds of yards to get into deep water.

Why was Annié's body, jacket and bag found on the same place? They all have different weights and density.

Why did Annie have 2 square shaped bruises on her arm? You do not get that at sea.

Who chopped my daughter's waist-long hair off and when? And why was the remining hair not examined for DNA as being a part of her body?

Why were there DNA from an unknown individual on my daughter's hands, DNA vanishes quickly in water.

Why do we not get a proper investigation into our beloved Annie's death? Why is the closed Police investigation kept secret from our family?

I want truth and justice for my beloved dauhgter and so does so many other grievng families for their loved ones. It is time for a change of the justice system! Guje, Annie´s mother; www.annierockstar.com
9

Annies Angels,

05/01/2008 00:31:21
importent Injustice Links

http://www.annierockstar.com

http://www.mojoscotland.com/

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/index2.html

http://kevin-freethekillie2.blogspot.com

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-wullie/
10

Annies Angels,

05/01/2008 00:31:32
importent Injustice Links

http://www.annierockstar.com

http://www.mojoscotland.com/

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/index2.html

http://kevin-freethekillie2.blogspot.com

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-wullie/
11

Annies Angels,

05/01/2008 00:31:42
importent Injustice Links

http://www.annierockstar.com

http://www.mojoscotland.com/

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/index2.html

http://kevin-freethekillie2.blogspot.com

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-wullie/
12

Annies Angels,

05/01/2008 00:31:53
importent Injustice Links

http://www.annierockstar.com

http://www.mojoscotland.com/

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/index2.html

http://kevin-freethekillie2.blogspot.com

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-wullie/
13

Annies Angels,

05/01/2008 00:32:30
importent Injustice Links

http://www.annierockstar.com

http://www.mojoscotland.com/

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/index2.html

http://kevin-freethekillie2.blogspot.com

http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/

http://williambeck.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/big-wullie/
14

Dangerous Assumptions,

Scotland 05/01/2008 07:44:19
This comment may seem suject and emotive but I need to share with anyone willing to hear. As children we are brought up in trust and believe in social norms. The Police are the good guys ,they catch the bad guys,you know the sort of stuff that TV and media reinforces every day.
The impact upon a person (in my own case my thirteen year old daughter) when she sought assistance and support from the authorities following being raped and subjected to horrific sexual abuse has left her totally mis trusting of the world. The whole concept of of forensic evidence in my child's case was a joke. She reported the bite marks on her back ,the area in which attack occurred yet the marks faded away without a medical being arranged for a year and the area in which the crime happened never being examined for Forensic evidence. See if you truly wanted to catch a criminal then you follow through the procedures at the very least!!!!! Her statement was changed to beyond recognition, papers lost and evidence on sim cards never followed through. Even a letter from another young person stating they the rapist had previously "held me down while an another adult raped me" was ignored. It is so very strange that these Police Officers are concentrated around the same area. Maybe its because they are so lacking in training it has left them unable to detect their way around lego land or perhaps that their very poor detective skills are more by design! Which begs the question to WHO are they actually policing the public or particular and important members of the public.In the scheme of things the monster that raped my child was a tiny little fish but with a lot of knowledge on other happenings on much bigger fish and life is sweet for him, safe in the knowledge he can pick and choose his victims without redress.
I dared to challenge them and the Police have made every attempt to wreck my life, my profession, my family and silence my daughter.I have some very interesting audio tapes of Police
15

Dangerous Assumptions,

05/01/2008 08:20:46
continued from previous:
bullying and intimidating a 14 year old child who was diagnosed with PTSD, what big brave policemen you are!
As for the community of Wick, well reflective of the three monkeys see nothing ,hear nothing and speak nothing, cant blame them really wouldnt wish this experience on anyone.
The people of Scotland appear to have to wait decades for justice (usually when some criminal has dropped dead or at the end of their full life) Forensic evidence is helpful when used appropriately and justly , it is also helpful if actually gathered properly or at all!!!!. PF's and Police hold far too much Power and should you wish to challenge thats ok because they simply investigate themselves with the outcome always being they are Right---good system init?. As a professional person myself I recall lots of reports coming into me about child victims of sexual abuse where the Police had No further Actioned cases as the child was either a Compulsive Liar or the Child had Mental Health difficulties ,all I can comment is that there were an awful lot of mentally ill liars in one tiny area !!!and an awful lot of of Police officers with specialized forensic child mental health training in one tiny area (not).I recall forensic evidence being gathered when a youth spat on a car ummm but got a conviction for that one didn't you boys and that really made a difference!
the victims of crimes and the victims of injustice attempt to pick up the what left of their lives while the grief trauma loss and pain remains, but its all in a good cause for the criminals and corrupt can sleep peacefully knowing they have the full protection of the law!
16

Guje, Annies´ mother,

Sweden 05/01/2008 15:33:46
Just read n:o 14 and 15 Dangerous Assumptions, so chocking! My heart cries for you and your daughter. How is it possible society can let people down when we need justice the most?!

Thank you for sharing your story case with us, it is just by telling our stories and making our voices heard we can make change the Scottish legal system.

Please read about other chocking stories at the links 9 to 13 above, and read also about 2008 Conference: 'Scottish Justice - An agenda for change' at; http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

Together we are strong and will make a change! Guje, Annie´s mother; www.annierockstar.com
17

Annies Angels,

06/01/2008 16:24:44
Another chocking case that I had read about that also involves another devastated mother and her son that is very ill and badly treated.

This completely devastated and heartbroken mother, have been fighting with the authorities during so many years to try to get the proper help and treatment for her son and then to get an independent inquiry into the terrible treatment of her son.

When I read her letter my heart cried out to her and her son. I read that her son was injured after a violent unprovoked assault and that he have not received the proper care at all.

How is it possible in our society that a young man is left to rot and deteriorate in an empty flat without proper care or treatment?

This woman needs our support, and her son must be saved from this neglect of care and get the right help,treatments and support!

What can we do to help her? Her beloved son is maybe dying without the proper care and treatment?!

Please read the letter on this blogspot; it is addressed to Alex Salmond and what is the answer that this mother and son receives? This is the 11th letter to him. Have they recieved any answer on the other letters ?

Why has he or his secretary not answered this devastated mother in need of help??

Where is the Justice?


http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/2007/12/justice-secretary-rejects-independent.html#c120314498266425191

There are 29 comments and this letter is in the number 5 comment from above.


There will be a very importent Conference in August this summer;

"Scottish Justice - An agenda for change"

http://shirleymckie.myfastforum.org/forum1.php

Together we are strong and will make a change!

www.annierockstar.com

18

Guje, Annies´ mother,

06/01/2008 20:41:14
Regarding n:o 17, please read about the chocking mistreatment of the man, and his mother, decribed by Annie´s Angels! How many more of us are there, waiting for care and justice year after year?!

Where are the brave officials within the Scottish authorities and politicians ready to take action and repaire what has gone so totally wrong in handeling justice? Where are the journalists ready to unmask the legal system?

Guje, Annie's mother; www.annierockstar.com


19

2Right,

On Location 07/01/2008 03:48:55
14 & 15

What a shocking case you describe and it reminds me of the case of Kevin McLoed highlighted on the McKie Forum and in the press recently where Latimer was told to appologise to the McLoed's and did so in the presence of Iain Mckie etc.
I would appreciate if you could give us more details on the forum.
If you register on the Shirleymckiefastforum i can then send you private messages without you having to reveal your e-mail address etc but most of all you can again highlight your Daughters case.
You do not have to name yourself and can remain anonymous.
I can feel the hell you are going through and believe the Police have always treated cases like this too leniently.
I think nowadays their attitude is: If there is no prospect of a prosecution then they tend not to investigate properly, In the McLoed case he was found murdered in Wick Harbour (Which the McLoeds have evidence of) yet the police never sealed off the area and all evidence was lost. So They say?
His clothes have mysteriously disappeared too and all letters from the McLoeds where flung in the bin i think and not answered.

So once again "Wick Police" and "Northern Constabulary" have a lot of questions to answer.
What another "Shocking" Indictment on Wick Police.

I will put your Audio tapes on youtube for you if you wish.

There is also a conference to be held this year hopefully this will recommend the changes needed to our Justiciary and all can take part in it
20

Annies Angels,

07/01/2008 17:05:48
19# 2Right and 14&15# Dangerous Assumptions

It is very shocking to hear that it is the same Police force "Wick Police" and "Northern Constabulary".

In Kevin’s case I could also read that Kevin’s family was the First family in Scottish history that received an apology from the Police!!!!! Let us all hope that this will be the starting point for many other apologies.

In the article written by Iain Grant, 21 Dec 2007;

Mr McLeod said: "As far as we are aware it's an unprecedented event for a chief constable to apologise to a family. It's never been heard of before in Scotland.
"He categorically gave us his unreserved apology, both for the initial investigation and for how our complaints were handled."
Mr McLeod said the apology extended to Mr Latimer's remark during a press interview earlier this year that Kevin's death had been a tragic accident.
"We're trying to build bridges and Mr Latimer has assured us he will go away and consider our request for a review undertaken by an independent force," Mr McLeod said. "We hope he will agree to this and, at the end of it, the people we suspect of murdering Kevin will be brought to justice. Then, and only then, will we have what we're looking for."

For all new readers who want to know more Please read Kevin McLeod’s case study;


http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/KevinM_std.html
21

Annies Angels,

07/01/2008 17:06:00
19# 2Right and 14&15# Dangerous Assumptions

It is very shocking to hear that it is the same Police force "Wick Police" and "Northern Constabulary".

In Kevin’s case I could also read that Kevin’s family was the First family in Scottish history that received an apology from the Police!!!!! Let us all hope that this will be the starting point for many other apologies.

In the article written by Iain Grant, 21 Dec 2007;

Mr McLeod said: "As far as we are aware it's an unprecedented event for a chief constable to apologise to a family. It's never been heard of before in Scotland.
"He categorically gave us his unreserved apology, both for the initial investigation and for how our complaints were handled."
Mr McLeod said the apology extended to Mr Latimer's remark during a press interview earlier this year that Kevin's death had been a tragic accident.
"We're trying to build bridges and Mr Latimer has assured us he will go away and consider our request for a review undertaken by an independent force," Mr McLeod said. "We hope he will agree to this and, at the end of it, the people we suspect of murdering Kevin will be brought to justice. Then, and only then, will we have what we're looking for."

For all new readers who want to know more Please read Kevin McLeod’s case study;


http://www.asearchforjustice.co.uk/KevinM_std.html

 

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