Vincent Tabak admits manslaughter of Jo Yeates

Manslaughter or murder? 

Vincent Tabak, a 33 year old Dutchman, is accused of killing the landscape architect who disappeared on 17 December after going for drinks with colleagues. He has now admitted to her manslaughter but not her murder. The prosecution has refused to accept Tabak's manslaughter plea and a murder trial will go ahead on 4 October.

This case is going to be a prominent one, that's not in doubt. Right from the beginning things went off in several directions. Even now there is an element of uncertainty. Tabak has consistently said he didn't do it. Do what exactly? Kill Jo Yeates? Murder her or just cause her death? Words can mean what they are wanted to mean. Something happened that night of 17th December last year. Five months later we get a couple of steps further forward, but maybe one step backwards in attempting to get justice.

Justice is hard to come by. In such cases as this it is up to forensic lawyers to dig into the truth. I suspect a concoction of human emotions is not far from the surface, contributed in equal measure by all involved in the case. But justice is defined by putting emotions aside and allowing the unvarnished truth to emerge.

Two English tourists shot dead in Sarasota, Florida

Not exactly Car 54 Where Are You?

This is a tragedy all round. First of all two young bright intelligent men go on holiday to Florida. Somehow they found their way into a neighbourhood that isn't on the tourist trail. That's a euphemism for saying it's predominantly black. I guessed it might be as the major highway is named after Martin Luther King Jr. The day might come when a street in West Palm Beach is similarly named, but not yet. Captain Paul Sutton, of Sarasota Police, said the area was largely residential and not normally visited by tourists. "We are still investigating why they would have been in this area. It is very unusual to find tourists or visitors in this area. We do not know what brought them here at 3am." His words seem to confirm that segregation is to be expected.

These murders happened in Newtown. It's a shopless, barless vicinity, with a history of shootings, muggings and gang warfare. I see they might be getting a Wal-Mart. In all respects it's a struggling, possibly hopeless area. So why did two young tourists from England stray 15 odd miles from their holiday resort into this district? Nobody knows just yet. The police are working on it. Newtown needs improvement. Governor Jeb Bush recognised that. He set up the Front Porch Neighborhood program. That proves not all Republicans are socially unaware!

I have concerns about such cases as this double murder. Florida is seen as a fantastic tourist destination, and yes it is. I've been there, both coasts, and it is a state of beauty. The Keys are yet to come for me. But are all tourists aware of the undercurrents in the local society? I've some experience of life in America. In Atlanta, I never really felt the races mixed socially. It's still a divided society. However, I found that an English voice allowed me quite a bit of leeway in black areas. Somehow I was not seen as "the enemy". And I use that term wisely, I hope. I well remember, one balmy night, standing on a street corner near Little Five Points discussing one man's interpretation of his grandmother's recollections of slavery. I needed quite a bit of mental agility to keep on track without causing undue offence! Memories are rekindled with each generation, nuances added here and there.

There appear to be few warnings to British tourists about walking around town. The British Embassy in Washington has a light touch with information. Travel sites mainly offer discussions on beaches, bars and hotels. Newtown is off the radar. I'm probably advocating that more awareness needs to be available,without either scaring away tourists or offending neighbourhoods such as Newtown.

Let these deaths be the last. The young teenager held on account of the crime is likely to feel the full force of the law, as an adult and as a belligerently-minded outsider. Perhaps Newtown could be like a phoenix rising from these murderous ashes and offer new hope. After all Martin Luther King did have a dream. It just wasn't like this.

Landlord Chris Jefferies is not a suspect in Jo Yeates murder case

So after a protracted time whilst he has had to endure innuendo from the tabloids, a disgraceful episode whereby police leaked his name and the fact that he has been on police bail for over two months under suspicion, Christopher Jefferies is unceremoniously dumped back into the world to get on with his life.

All the whisperers who thought "he was the one what did it" can spend a day looking at themselves in a mirror. A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said, "We can confirm that a 66-year-old arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates was released without charge on Friday 4 March" and with that he went back to his desk.

My grandmother had a saying, "Life is real and life is earnest". It certainly is. One can only wonder what the next phase of this murder case will reveal. Anyone watching The Killing on BBC4 will be accutely aware that not everything is at it seems. There may be uncanny parallels here.

Vincent Tabak case lines up legal eagles

The Joanna Yeates murder case is intriguing from a criminal justice viewpoint. Some murders are so low profile nobody outside the local nick knows they ever happened. Some are the exact opposite. This case is the latter. It has all the ingredients to make the press excited. What they tend to forget is that people are involved, both victim's family and accused's family. In this case, others are drawn into the case by just the mere fact they lived nearby or just happened to be close by at the time.

I see that Tabak (whose name is Tobacco in Dutch) has Paul Cook as his barrister. He appears to be a suitable choice. The prosecutor will be Ann Reddropp, head of the Complex Case unit at the CPS South west group. She once came a cropper up against a judge who criticised the CPS for bringing a case of racial aggravation.

A man was up in court for saying "F*** off you Paki, I want an English doctor, not a f***ing Paki." Judge Darlow remarked: "This was a single sentence to a man who should not have taken it so seriously. He is a man of some considerable standing in society and I cannot see that it caused him any distress or hurt. It should not have caused a problem in this case. To charge rather than let it go by with a caution strikes me as rather odd. We let people hit each other and break into people's homes and they are not charged." Ann Reddrop, prosecuting, said: "When there is a burglary and it is in the public interest there will be a prosecution. This was a police surgeon and he is entitled to the same protection as anyone else."
The judge then stated: "So next time call him a fat bastard and don't say anything about his colour."

There's something about the English legal system that never changes. I don't know about fat bastards but I get the impression it's sometimes about fat ladies waiting to sing. Even when they do, it's not always over. That's why I find the case of Vincent Tabak intriguing. Something is stopping the fat lady singing in my mind.

Vincent Tabak's family hire a "professional spokesman"

According to De Telegraaf, one of the top newspapers in the Netherlands, the family of Dutchman Vincent Tabak, the man accused of murdering Joanna Yeates, has hired a media man to protect their side of the events. They have suggested that the British media has not portrayed them in a favourable light. The family is convinced of his innocence and now feel the need to present their views in this way.

I suspect that certain cultural differences may be beginning to emerge. This story is full of twist and turns. I just don't get the sense that it is going to be that straightforward.

Vincent Tabak charged with the murder of Joanna Yeates

Vincent Tabak, a Dutch architectural engineer, who lives in the same apartment block as Joanna Yeates, has been charged with her murder. He will appear in court on Monday.

This is progress in the case, but it does not mean it is the conclusion. Depending on his plea, Tabak will be able to have a defence or instruct his counsel otherwise. There should be no rush to judgement. There has been too much of that already in this matter and in other cases down the years a similar attitude has prevailed. The media needs restraint now as before.

Facebook faces of Vincent Tabak

Facebook is keen on faces. Join up and you post a face online. Sometimes in the most comical of poses. Vincent Tabak is seen on Facebook in various guises. One in a bow tie, one by Stonehenge. The photos look like anyone's snaps. Why did I see these? Because they are plastered all over The Sun's website. Why is that? Because Vincent Tabak has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the Jo Yeates case.

Fifty years ago no such stuff would be available to see. Not even ten years ago. It's a salutory lesson for all of us. Anyone could be caught up in a criminal investigation. Now we can have, if we've posted Facebook with holiday snaps, our old polaroids and grainy pics pored over. "Look at her! Is that really him? Is that his mother? Did she have hair like that then?" and so on, and so on.

The police are still saying they don't have a name to give for the person they arrested. Fair enough. Quite right of them. But things do leak out and when they do our modern obessions are going to meet traditional moralising. Two and two are still making ten.

It would help all concerned in this murder investigation if the culprit owned up. But that would be asking too much of human nature. So, in the absence of such a revelation, we should all be wary of what we think we see. They say the camera never lies, but I have my doubts about believing all we see in Facebook photos.

How the Dutch report about a Dutch suspect

De Telegraaf, one of the Netherlands top newspapers, writes about the arrest on suspicion of murder of a Dutch citizen with a certain degree of circumspection. Certainly not so dramatic as some British newspapers.

Just a tad different, I think.

Tale of two suspects - Jo Yeates murder inquiry

The Daily Mail says "Police withhold suspect's name because of worries over media coverage". Reading the story one would be given the idea that the Daily Mail was a paragon of virtue when it comes to reporting about people. The "Daily Mail Reporter" says -

It is understood that police have withheld the name of the arrested man because of the media frenzy that followed the first arrest in the case, that of Jo's landlord Chris Jefferies, 65. There are strict instructions on what media outlets can and cannot report during police investigations and it is understood that investigators were extremely unhappy with some coverage that they felt overstepped the mark, potentially jeopardising their enquiries.

Mr Jefferies is said to be considering suing police for wrongful arrest after his name and photograph were widely circulated in connection with the case. His friend Irving Steggles, said 'He is preparing a case against the media and the police, I believe. This has completely shattered his life.' As part of the statement released to confirm the arrest this morning, police gave a firm instruction to media outlets covering the case. It read: 'Proceedings are active and everyone is reminded of the Contempt of Court Act and therefore you will understand that we cannot discuss any more details'.

All sounds neat and dandy. The Daily Mail never got up to anything so remotely unhelpful as writing about Christopher Jefferies in a prurient way, did they? Vincent Tabak can only be thankful that someone has muzzled the media. Should it ever come to a matter of trial, it is the right of all defendants that their trial is fair. Free speech is about the lawful dissemination of comment. It is not about inflaming public opinion with unsubstantiated facts and mere tittle-tattle before justice is upheld.

Maybe the police have been advised what sort of civil penalties they might face if found on the wrong end of a lawsuit? Maybe the press have had similar figures bandied about? I don't know, but all with an interest in such matters seem of a very different disposition. The real problem here is that the modern media seems so morally bankrupt that they cannot draw themselves up short in front of tabloid temptation. If Christopher Jerfferies does sue, then he will be making a stand for proper justice with due process and not for a kangaroo court aided and abetted by the lynch mob tendencies of the more scurrilous journals.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1348832/Joanna-Yeates-murder-Vincent-Tabaks-flat-searched-man-32-arrested.html#ixzz1Bb1F1GHk

Jo Yeates murder inquiry yields second suspect

The police in Bristol have arrested another man. His name is being given locally as Vincent Tabak, a 32 year old Dutch National. The BBC reports that a flat in the same building which Jo Yeates occupied with her boyfriend is being searched and scaffolding has gone up.

Mr. Tabak finds himself in a similar position to Christopher Jefferies. That of being arrested on suspicion of murder. What I find odd is that the media is not seeking to reveal details of Mr. Tabak as they did Mr. Jefferies. Is this because they have been told to say nothing or because they don't see any mileage for boosting circulation?

I hope all involved in this are treated fairly and receive equal treatment. Somehow my antennae are twitching, telling me that the media is not fair and fairness is something that we can only hope for rather than expect.

Pressing times - media twists and turns

I was reminded on this blog that the reporter who decided that Robert Murat (of the Madeleine McCann case) was a suspect was Lori Campbell of the Sunday Mirror. This is a youtube of her in action. She could have been speaking about herself and her rag!



And then there is Martin Brunt, the crime reporter from Sky News. He has the look of a lost ferret trying to find a trouser leg. This is his take on the McCann case in Portugal.



The trouble with these characters is that they are paid handsomely to speculate and spew out their notions in a very casual manner. Brunt has been in Bristol following a similar pattern of thought process.

From Sky News -
Sky News' crime correspondent Martin Brunt, in Bristol, said that after Jefferies had spoken to Sky News there were questions surrounding his claim. "I think he first told neighbours that he thought he had seen Miss Yeates leaving with two people before he spoke to the police, but when we spoke to him he seemed rather vague about the details," he said. "It then became a bit of mystery and it almost was a case of things not adding up." He added: "Police now have up to 96 hours to either charge him, release him on bail for further questioning, or release him with no further action. "It's important to stress at this stage that he has simply been arrested on suspicion of her murder and he hasn't been charged, and it may well be that he is not charged."

Maybe Dominic Grieve should tap Brunt on the shoulder?

Some wise cove has suggested on a webchat site that Christopher Jefferies will "get over it". Nobody gets over it. None of these things can be forgotten. Not one person involved in such cases. Joanna Yeates' boyfriend has quite rightly rounded on the media. Just going around pointing the finger does no good whatsoever. It certainly does not help grieving relatives who only see a circus of thoughtless clowns.