When someone is murdered in London, who notices? Aside from the obvious – witnesses, the local community, the police – the answer depends on the type of case and the victim. Carlos Roberto Oliveria was stabbed to death near Burnt Oak tube station in the early hours of Saturday, July 16. The first media report …
Author archives: murdermap
Victims, their families and the courts
There’s no denying that the court process can be gruelling for the families of murder victims. They are plunged into a world over which they have no control, a world ruled by men in wigs who appear to have little consideration for their feelings. Their role is to sit quietly at the back of court …
Off the Map: The death of Charles Bunyasi
The death of Charles Bunyasi began as a murder investigation but will now ‘drop off the map’. Why? Because it no longer counts as a homicide. Mr Bunyasi was run over by his own van after it was stolen by a thief. The exact circumstances are unclear but detectives have charged the suspect only with …
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Court vs Twitter
Why is Twitter seen as such a challenge to the justice system? It’s all about information, and who controls it. Even in the digital age, the courts still wield enormous power. When a reporter walks into court he or she has to be aware of a series of restrictions. You can’t give your opinion on …
Stenography and Charles Dickens
This week the BBC reported – in its own strange way – that court proceedings will be digitally recorded instead of taken down by dedicated stenographers. This could be said to bring an end to a tradition going back to the 17th Century. It’s also quite a sad goodbye to a profession that has included …