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| Iain McKie |
Originally submitted by Iain Mckie on 21 March 2002: NEVER - NEVER LAND By Iain McKie An update. The conclusions of the report of the 'Internal Independent Enquiry' into the work of SCRO in connection with Shirley McKie and David Asbury marks and prints were made known this week. The report will not be published and no other information will be made available. It concludes: 'That no matters of misconduct or lack of capability have taken place in the work surrounding the fingerprint comparisons of the McKie and Asbury marks and prints.'This internal report represents total vindication of SCRO's work, has serious implications for Shirley's fight for justice and truth and is damaging to the reputation of the fingerprint profession. It totally exonerates SCRO, the experts and supervisors from any responsibility for the wrong identifications and the experts and their supervisors are all being returned to normal duty. The report sticks to the line that fingerprint evidence is a matter of opinion and SCRO were right and the rest of the world wrong. This decision flies in the face of every piece of evidence to date. It rejects the evidence of experts like Pat Wertheim, David Grieve, Arie Zeelenberg, Allan Bayle, Ron Cook and all experts worldwide who viewed the case on the internet and posted their support for Shirley. It contradicts the findings of the major enquiry undertaken by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary His report contained the conclusion: 'that the mark was not made by Shirley McKie. It is (the independent experts) view that decision could have been reached at an early point in the comparison process'.In the biggest indictment ever of a UK fingerprint organisation the HMI's report made 28 recommendations and 20 suggestions including: 'that all fingerprint experts within the SCRO Fingerprint Bureau should undergo competency testing provided and managed by an external provider as soon as possible.' This latest internal report by SCRO is a whitewash and cover-up of immense proportions with serious implications for justice in Scotland. As you would expect Shirley is not well but is determined to fight on and ensure that the truth will be heard. We urgently need help from the fingerprint profession worldwide! I am asking all experts who have posted previous messages of support and those who have not yet done so to post a message of support for Shirley's fight on this site. I would also ask you to make your feelings known by e-mail or letter to the Scottish Minister for Justice and the Chairman of the SCRO Executive Committee at: Mr Jim Wallace QC Minister for Justice, The Scottish Executive, St Andrew's House, Regent Road, EDINBURGH EH1 3DG email: scottish.ministers@scotland.gov.uk Mr Andrew Brown QPM Chief Constable, Chairman SCRO Executive Committee FORCE HEADQUARTERS Grampian Police, Force Headquarters, Queen Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1ZA Tel: +44 (0)1224 386000 Fax: +44 (0)1224 643366 email: mailbox@grampian.police.uk Shirley has again after 5 years been brought to her knees and kicked in the teeth by the Scottish fingerprint establishment and justice system. Words like cover-up and 'whitewash' are hard to avoid and I believe that anyone who has kept quiet is part of that cover up. As Shirley's father I ask the fingerprint profession to stand up and support us in fighting this injustice. Please post your thoughts and feelings or write as requested above. I know that there are experts out there who are serving or have served with SCRO who know that all is not well within that organisation. I ask you to stand up and be counted, to break away from those who seek to silence you and give us your support. I would also make another plea to those experts in the UK who have so far not spoken up to speak out now or contact me in confidence at: iain.mckie2@btinternet.com Whether you do this openly or anonymously does not matter. Confidences will be kept. Shirley and our family send our love to those who have continued to support us. Thank you. |
