So who killed Jill Dando?

[fatshaft]

Her 'killer' freed at re-trial

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/aug/0 ... o.ukcrime1

Barry George was today acquitted of the murder of the BBC personality Jill Dando nine years ago.

The jury at the retrial in the Old Bailey rejected the prosecution's allegations that George, described in court as "the local nutter", shot the 37-year-old Crimewatch presenter.

Dando was killed on her doorstep in Gowan Avenue, Fulham, west London, in April 1999.

Today's verdict comes after two trials and two appeals, and means no one has been brought to justice for the killing.

The prosecution alleged George, 48, of Fulham, had obsessions with celebrities and guns. The jury heard from a series of women who claim to have been approached by George.

George showed no reaction as the verdict was read out.
His sister Michelle Diskin, who was also sitting in court, punched the air and cried "yes".

George is expected to walk free from the Old Bailey this afternoon.

The jury of eight women and four men had been out for less than two days at the end of an eight-week trial.

Central to George's conviction at the first trial was a tiny speck of gunpowder residue found in his pocket. Subsequent analysis led to doubts about its importance and the court of appeal's quashing of the conviction last year.

The retrial jury was told how George claimed to be the cousin of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the band Queen, and to have served in the SAS.

George, who has epilepsy and a mental disability, was arrested in 2000 and found guilty of Dando's murder in July the following year.

A first appeal failed but a second appeal last November concluded fresh scientific evidence meant there was "no certainty" the jury at his original trial would have convicted him.

The judge, Mr Justice Griffith Williams, was told that the speck, although the same type found on the victim, could have come from other sources.

George, a local loner who was said to have stalked and photographed hundreds of women, always maintained his innocence.

He was supported in court by his sister, who has led the fight for his release.

She was instrumental in getting the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body that investigates possible miscarriages of justice, to refer the case to the court of appeal.

George became the prime suspect after detectives reviewed the evidence and his name came up among several others put forward after appeals to the public.

During three weeks of undercover surveillance, he was seen to approach 38 women in the area to try to make conversation with them.

His home in nearby Crookham Road was searched and officers found 2,248 photographs taken of unsuspecting women. The pictures, on 100 rolls of undeveloped film, also had shots of a number of female television presenters, including Anthea Turner.

They found a gun holster and lists of guns, military magazines and a picture of George wearing a gas mask and holding a starting pistol.

The prosecution said it was the sort of weapon that, if converted, could have fired the fatal shot. But there was no direct evidence of him at the scene of the crime when the murder took place.

Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said George was a celebrity and gun-obsessed stalker with a grudge against the BBC.

William Clegg QC, defending, said the prosecution case was circumstantial and there was no direct evidence that George was the killer.

He said the prosecution could not prove that the killer, seen by two witnesses shortly after the shooting at just after 11.30am, was George.

The case hinged on the killer being the same man other witnesses had described as being of Mediterranean appearance.
Clegg said: "There is insufficient evidence and a fatal weakness in the Crown's case."

During police interviews, George said he didn't know Dando or where she lived before her death was in the news. "I have never seen Jill Dando in the flesh in any shape or form," he said.

George worked for a short time as a messenger at the BBC, but he frequently called in there to collect copies of the staff newspaper.

Police arrested him in 1983 hiding in bushes outside Kensington Palace in an attempt to see Diana, Princess of Wales. He was dressed in combat gear, was carrying a length of rope and had a knife in his belt. He was not charged.

[Batman]

Bet it wwas Nick Ross, or Megson.

[fatshaft]

Bet it wwas Nick Ross, or Megson.

aye, defo a ginger anyway

[ratbert]

The Guardian also has a theory that Serbians did it, as Jill fronted an appeal on the BBC for refugees in that country at the time. It was probably gangsters sending a message to Crimewatch though.

We may never find out...

[Lord Kangana]

Police in 'arresting local weirdo cos they haven't got a clue who actually did it' shocker?

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

Course it was. Fitted up no end.

I reckon it was Carol Vorderman. She saw Dando as a threat on her 'minx with a brain' title, so offed her. It's no coincidence she's leaving Countdown soon. She's been found out. FACT.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

They say her ex-husband's an odd piece of work. Not that it could possibly be him. Although being an odd piece of work seems to be enough for a spell in chokey.

[David Lee's Hair]

The Duke of Edinburgh did it

[Verbal]

Course it was. Fitted up no end.

I reckon it was Carol Vorderman. She saw Dando as a threat on her 'minx with a brain' title, so offed her. It's no coincidence she's leaving Countdown soon. She's been found out. FACT.

4 letters, poor effort.

[Bruce Rioja]

Well I've always thought that finding a single spec of gunpowder on a coat owned by a man that owns a gun, hardly places him outside a house in Fulham at a specific time whilst shooting someone through the head. He may well have done it, I don't know, but it's always struck me as being the weakest murder case I've ever read about.

[InsaneApache]

Aye, not to mention the poor bastard will be charged for 'bed and board' for the eight years he spent in chokey. I'd complain and ask for a refund, no view of wilderbeasts sweeping majestically across the plains and the radio didn't work.

[tony cunninghams willy]

Who's Jan Dildo?

[Bruce Rioja]

Aye, not to mention the poor bastard will be charged for 'bed and board' for the eight years he spent in chokey. I'd complain and ask for a refund, no view of wilderbeasts sweeping majestically across the plains and the radio didn't work.

And what was he expecting to see? Hanging gardens of Babylon? Leaning tower of Piza? And could he see the sea?

[Zulus Thousand of em]

It wasn't me.

[Bruce Rioja]

It wasn't me.

The Zulu doth protest too much, methinks!

[Soldier_Of_The_White_Army]

I reckon the Mccanns did it!

[CAPSLOCK]

Barry George

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

Wasn't he that darts player with all the jewellery? The Barry Dazzler.