On the evening of April 22, 1993, a group of six white adolescents fatally stabbed Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager from Britain, as he waited for a bus in the southeast London neighbourhood of Eltham. Afterwards, it was discovered that Lawrence’s murder was completely motivated by the colour of his skin.
He didn’t know his killers and they didn’t know him.
What happened after Stephen Lawrence’s murder?
The individuals suspected were detained after the initial police inquiry, however they were not found guilty. The Macpherson Report, which has been hailed as “one of the most significant moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain”, was published as a result of a public inquiry into how Stephen’s case was handled in 1998.
The BBC documentary Stephen: The Murder That Changed a community details the murder and focuses on his mother Doreen, who has fought for justice for her son for over a quarter of a century, in a case that saw her son’s murderers walk free.
Where are Stephen Lawrence’s killers now?
After eventually being found guilty of killing Lawrence, Gary Dobson received a life sentence.
He is being held at Leicestershire’s Gartree prison in Market Harborough, according to reports.
Dobson received a minimum sentence of 15 years and two months since he was a juvenile at the time of the offence, aged 17.
David Norris is also serving a sentence in jail after making an unsuccessful attempt to appeal.
Norris was transferred out of Cat-B HMP Garth, Lancashire, in 2022 and is now considered a lower-risk prisoner.
Three other men were suspects in the murder case but were not convicted.
Luke Knight is said to be a roofer who still resides in East London.
Jamie Acourt was on the rush in Spain with his brother and was featured in a most-wanted campaign back in 2016. He was convicted for drug dealing and was scheduled to be released the next month, according to reports from October 2022, despite having not repaid £3 million in drug money.
Neil Acourt was only required to serve the first three years of a six-year sentence before being freed.
What is Stephen Lawrence Day?
Stephen Lawrence Day, which takes space every April 22, was announced by Theresa May at a memorial service in 2018 marking the 25th anniversary of Stephen’s death.
It is a solemn occasion marked by commemoration activities planned by the UK government and the Stephen Lawrence Charity Trust, an educational nonprofit devoted to the advancement of social justice.
The day is aimed at honouring Lawrence’s life and raising awareness of work that still needs to be done to conclude systemic racism.
Children and young people maintain the chance to speak up, promote the changes they want to see, and build a culture that values fairness and respect for all people.