Stephen Johnson - innocent of Las Americas killing

[Goldenmaniac]

56-year-old Stephen Johnson, from east Durham has finally been found not guilty of the murder of a Moroccan man in Las Americas in January 2008.

Mr Johnson has always maintained his innocence in a case which took 3-and-a-half years to come to court, during which time he.... http://newsinthesun.com/?p=5030

[universal]

Congratulations Steppy -
Another shining example of the Spanish Police's moto of:"charge them first and ask questions later".
I truly wish you all the best for the future and hope you can put this sad chapter behind you.

[pablo1]

The charges, along with the police investigation were a joke! Made up for you stepy, hopefully you can put this appalling excuse for a justice system behind you and live the rest of your life. See you for a beer soon. :-)

[Bobby]

The wheels of justice certainly move slowly in Tenerife. Go luck to Mr Johnson and sue if you can.

[dede]

And now after three and half years you can finally try and return to a normal life!!!!I cant imagine what it must have been like for you to know that you were innocent and still have been punished. good luck with your future stephen.

[SuzyQ]

I saw it on facebook last night, fab news!! Hope Steppy can piece his life back together. :)

[maybelline]

Fantastic news, looks like they had a good shin dig at full monty last night, I admire Joan his wife for keeping the family and business going through a nightmare time, see you soon xx

[leojohn]

Just another Spanish case of "GUILTY UNTILL PROVEN INNOCENT"..Good look with getting back to normality Stephen

[warbey]

Best wishes to You.,,,I too wish You well.!

On a practical note, does this mean the Real Culprit/s is long gone.
cos the Victim didnt get much justice either, whatever He was up to.

[slodgedad]

Are they taking the ;;;;; or are they just trying to cover themselves? READ (http://www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000043/0/33523/daily-news-article.html)

[Carlos]

Are they taking the ;;;;; or are they just trying to cover themselves? READ (http://www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000043/0/33523/daily-news-article.html)

BIG coverage can be predicted in local English papers this week of this case. Judging from pics and reporting last week, Island Connections were obviously there throughout and I have been told they are doing a really massive piece on Johnson and his complaints at how this was handled. Will go down a treat with the Tenerife authorities no doubt! :hungry:

[universal]

I received an e-mail this morning from Rebecca Shaeffer of Fair Trials International, on this very subject, she states:
"I can't believe the sheer volume of these cases out of Tenerife".
Referring to the vast numbers of foreigners who are held in pre-trial detention for years before being acquitted,
when their case eventually gets to trial.
It's high time that the Canarian judiciary dragged them selves into modern era and did away with the draconian mentality of the Holy Inquisition, considering concrete evidence as opposed ruining the lives of innocent people, by locking up someone just in case.
The news is always headlines, in the Spanish press, when arrests are made, but they fail to mention the numerous cases where, years after the event, the accused are acquitted.

[mini--c]

When I was over there I was in a bar and steve was there with mates having a beer, was talking to him for a min and he was over the moon to be a free man

[slodgedad]

Tenerife - 15.07.2011 -

The Sunderland businessman cleared exactly a week ago of killing a Moroccan in a brawl in 2008 has voiced his anger at the delays in having his passport returned to allow him to go back to England.

Stephen Johnson attended court in Santa Cruz yesterday thinking he would receive the definitive all-clear to leave Tenerife only to learn that the paperwork on his case has still not been completed and may take several more weeks.

His wife Joan said last night that the couple were getting 'very worried' that the formalities may not be completed before the Courts recess on 31 July for a month.

Island Connections (http://www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000043/0/33613/daily-news-article.html)

[Carlos]

The same paper has a much bigger piece on this guy's bizarre story. It appears to be before the one Slodgedad has put up.

http://pdf.islandconnections.eu/647/pdf/island_connections_001.pdf
http://pdf.islandconnections.eu/647/pdf/island_connections_002.pdf