Conviction Of Malcolm Kennedy

EDM number 1207 in 1993-94, proposed by Chris Mullin on 10/05/1994.

That this House notes with concern the conviction of Malcolm Kennedy for the manslaughter of Patrick Quinn in a cell at Hammersmith Police Station on 24th December 1990; notes that this result was achieved only after one trial, one successful appeal and two retrials; notes that when the Appeal Court quashed Mr Kennedy's original conviction they called for all the new evidence to be put before a jury; further notes that, despite this, the Crown went to some lengths to resist the presentation of evidence to a jury which might have implicated officers of the Metropolitan Police in the death of Mr Quinn; also notes defence allegations that police records were re-written or withheld; believes that Mr Justice Swinton Thomas erred in allowing the trial to go ahead in the absence of PC Paul Giles, the officer who it was alleged returned home with blood on his shirt and who has a history of violence and instability; believes that the conviction of Mr Kennedy is unsafe; and invites the Appeal Court to rule accordingly.

This motion has been signed by a total of 63 MPs.