Posted by Iain McKie on January 15, 2000 at 15:16:43:
As promised an update on the Shirley McKie case. BBC Scotland will broadcast a half-hour documentary on this case called ‘The Finger of Suspicion’ on Tuesday, 18, January, 2000, at 22.20 hours. It will be available on the Internet at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotlandnews
as part of their ‘Frontline Scotland’ series of investigations. A press conference will be held at the BBC in Glasgow at mid-day on broadcast day.
If any of the contributors to this ‘comments page’ wish a video of the ‘Frontline’ programme please contact me by e-mail. The BBC have promised to make tapes in European /American format available and while I have no information on cost I am sure we can come to an agreement. This offer is made in good faith and I will do everything I can to obtain the tapes.
Shirley has also been asked to appear on the GMTV morning show on Wednesday, 19, January. This is a network show that is broadcast throughout the UK and into Europe. Final arrangements have yet to be made.
To coincide with this publicity we are stepping up our political campaign for an independent and open enquiry into Shirley’s investigation and trial. I have written to the Lord Advocate (Responsible for the prosecution of crime in Scotland), the Minister for Justice in our recently created Scottish Parliament, the Chief Constable of Strathclyde and to our local MSP Phil Gallie.
Any of you who have taken on the ‘system’ will appreciate the struggle Shirley and her family has had over the past three years. Faced with the SCRO arrogance and the ‘system’ spin-doctors, who seek to rewrite the truth, seeking justice for the ‘individual’ can be an exhausting and unequal task.
The spread of the Internet has however given the ‘individual’ a ‘voice’ that can be heard throughout the world.
Contacting Pat Wertheim and David Grieve via the Internet was a turning point in Shirley’s struggle. More importantly however their courage and commitment to our cause has proved a decisive factor in reaching a point where SCRO must turn and face their critics. The principle that the fingerprint world helps police its own appears a sound one. ‘Experts’ by their very nature can use that expertise to cover up the truth, perpetuate their arrogance and ultimately defeat the ends of justice.
‘Experts’ throughout England have now publicly offered Shirley their support. It is important to understand that the vast majority of ‘fingerprint experts’ working in Scotland work with integrity and honesty. They realise the damage a minority within SCRO can inflict on their profession.
You will never appreciate how much your Internet ‘voices’ have meant to us over the past months. They have inspired us and been a constant reminder that freedom, justice and the truth are worth fighting for. You have sustained us in our fight.
Your support and interest through the Internet has been central to our campaign. The ‘system’ has been forced to take notice. There is ‘no hiding place’ for ‘experts’ who in their arrogant disdain for the truth forget their duty to justice and the communities they serve.
The campaign continues. Your support is sincerely valued.
Regards to you and yours , Shirley and Iain McKie