Because they knew they would go to prison for it? Im sure anyone who was guilty and then knew they were gonna go to prison for it if they confessed, would withdraw their confession if someone else was already banged up for it.
Michael Shields to receive Pardon.
- Thread starter antijoke
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Because they knew they would go to prison for it? Im sure anyone who was guilty and then knew they were gonna go to prison for it if they confessed, would withdraw their confession if someone else was already banged up for it.
This whole case has been a balls up from start to finish. If this new guy who has confessed to the Shield's family was the original guy who said he did it years ago before withdrawing their confession then it makes it more of a joke that he wasn't pursued for it at the time regardless of withdrawing. That article on the BBC is so lazy it's untrue, it makes it look as if all it took was for the Shield's family to contact Jack Straw and say, oh we met this guy and he's confessed, and Straw was like, ok that satisfies what I need to pardon your son. Pardoned.
The confession by Graham Sankey also didn't fit the facts of the case.
The reason he was picked out by witness's may have something to do with the fact he was left in a corridor of the police station, handcuffed to the radiator. So they had seen him before they went to pick him out. Hardly a fair witness.
It wasn't that simple. Mr Sankey knew prison was a possibility even before he "confessed." He withdrew his "confession" after it was proven to be riddled with inconsistencies.
For example, he had claimed to have thrown a brick at three men running towards him. But the victim (Georgiev) had been struck on the head with a paving slab while lying on the ground. Needless to say, Sankey was never charged.
+1
That's an excellent article. Now that Shields has been given a second chance, I hope he learns his lesson and changes his ways. Next time he might not be so lucky.
If he has received a Royal Pardon they must surely be satisfied that he is an innocent man.
That isn't what a pardon means. It effectively means he has been "forgiven" for his crimes, not that they didn't occur in the first place.
Did you provide this new evidence to Jack Straw then, or is this merely more emotional pandering?Scorza he is an innocent man.
Thats understating it somewhat. He seems like a thoroughly unpleasant man.
A pardon doesn't mean he didn't do it - he's still a convicted killer, they just forgave him.
If there was evidence they could have got an appeal and had the conviction overturned.
I bet the family of the murdered man are loving british justice right now.
If there was evidence they could have got an appeal and had the conviction overturned.
I bet the family of the murdered man are loving british justice right now.
That article makes it hard to believe he is innocent, but then again, I could more than likely find an article that would make me thing otherwise.
Associate
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We were just having the exact same conversation this morning at work!
It was one of the biggest comebacks you're likely to see in football and you've travelled to see your team pull it off in the Champions League Final! So to celebrate im going back to my room for an early night! Yeah yeah!
How certain are you?Scorza he is an innocent man.
I would have said the same after hearing one side of the story, but there are other sides which leave me less certain.
Accepting the pardon is an admission of the crime in itself, so I'm not sure how Shields himself should be feeling, or the family of the victim. Shields is probably just happy that he can go home now.
I think it does need to be reminded that Shields did lie when interrogated. Why? Who knows...
Personally I think Straw did this to deflect the attention off the Lockerbie situation, but it could backfire and make it look like the British government is releasing killers too early too often.
I think it does need to be reminded that Shields did lie when interrogated. Why? Who knows...
Personally I think Straw did this to deflect the attention off the Lockerbie situation, but it could backfire and make it look like the British government is releasing killers too early too often.
The attack was 5 days after the final. A lot of fans tagged on holidays to the end (or start) of the final as it was cheaper to go away for a few days, get the bus to the game, than just go to the game for the day.
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In order to be pardoned, you have to be considered "morally innocent" by the home office. So he may still be convicted by bulgarian authorities, but the home office dont believe he did it, based on the evidence they have seen. Good enough for me.
Also:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8245760.stm?ls
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Agreed.
The victim (Martin Georgiev) wasn't actually murdered. He is very much alive, and testified at the trial:
Nine witnesses, both Bulgarian and British, later testified at the trial and many of them — including Georgiev himself — positively identified Shields (in an identity parade and in the court) as a person present at the crime scene and as the perpetrator of the crime.
(Source).
In other news, the fun-loving Mr Shields has just been arrested in connection with another of his merry escapades:
On 9th September 2009, Michael Shields was given a royal pardon and released.
His solicitor John Weate said: "I have spoken to Michael and he has been told that Jack Straw has granted a royal pardon. He was informed of the decision by the governor this morning. He was ecstatic and I'm delighted that an another innocent man is finally being freed."
He was re-arrested by Police on arrival at his home on suspected rape charges dating back to 2003.
His solicitor John Weate said: "I have spoken to Michael and he has been told that Jack Straw has granted a royal pardon. He was informed of the decision by the governor this morning. He was ecstatic and I'm delighted that an another innocent man is finally being freed."
He was re-arrested by Police on arrival at his home on suspected rape charges dating back to 2003.
(Source).