Satpal Ram is Free

Wednesday June 19, 2002 13:08

by Mags

Still fighting to clear his name

Although this is not directly connected to Ireland I know that a lot of peope here have been active over the years in petitioning the British authorities on Satpal's behalf. The racism and injustice in his case is very similar to the experiences of Irish people set up by the British police.

Satpal Ram is Free

Background Note: Satpal Ram, 36, was jailed for life in 1987 for stabbing a white man in an Indian restaurant in Birmingham during a fight. He is the victim of one of the worst miscarriages of justice in recent years.
Mr Ram said the man, Clarke Pearce, had racially abused him before attacking and slashing him with broken glass. The judge at his trial had recommended he serve an 11 year sentence, but Satpal was kept in jail longer as he refused to admit his guilt.
Mr Ram was 20 and working as a warehouseman when he clashed with Mr Pearce in November 1986. He was eating with two friends when a group of six white people arrived in the Sky Blue restaurant in Lozells, Birmingham.
A fight broke out when the white group started racially abusing the waiters. Mr Pearce smashed a glass on the table and stabbed Mr Ram twice in the face and in the wrist. Mr Ram claimed he was then pushed up against a wall with no means of escape, and he used a small packing knife from his job to defend himself.
Mr Ram's family and supporters say that he was wrongly convicted because his original lawyers failed properly to prepare his case and made basic errors during his trial. A crucial witness who could have supported Mr Ram's account was not called. No translator was provided for another witness who spoke only Bengali.
Mr Ram has been in repeated clashes with the prison authorities and has been moved more than 70 times to different prisons (the average number of moves for a ‘lifer’ is six).
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This is a Victory but not Vindication

At 7.00pm on Tuesday 18th June 2002, Satpal Ram walked through the prison gate of HMP Blantyre House, for the last time.
Satpal's conviction has not been quashed and though he is now out on licence, Satpal will continue to fight the conviction, that has kept him in prison since 1987.
It was a fight to the bitter end.
Threatened with legal action, that continued imprisonment of Satpal, was unlawful the Treasury Solicitor for the Home Office, threw in the towel last Thursday June 13th and said they would release Satpal.
All it needed to free Satpal, was two signatures, the Lord Woolf the Lord Chief Justice, put his signature to the paper on Friday 14th June. All it needed was the counter signature of a Home Office Minister, usually the prison minister would counter sign.
At this stage the Home Secretary David Blunkett, made a personal intervention and was more than reluctant to sign Satpal's release. He should have counter signed the release on Friday but didn't, which meant Satpal had to spend another weekend in prison.
On Monday and Tuesday 17/18th June, numerous phone calls to Blunkett's office brought no joy, it was becoming clear that despite the advice of his own legal experts, Blunkett was stonewalling it.
Satpal's legal team, contacted the Treasury Solicitor again this afternoon, who said they stood by their original decision, it was Blunkett, who was holding up the release, against their advice.
Now Satpal's solicitors, felt there was no option but to go back to court.
At 6.00pm on Tuesday 18th June, Satpal's legal team were on their way to the High Court to apply for an order to release Satpal, when David Blunkett, conceded defeat and counter signed Satpal's, release papers.
The release papers were faxed to HMP Blantyre House and Satpal was released at 7.00pm.
Back ground to the last weeks events:
On the 27th October 2000 the Parole Board gave an unprecedented recommendation supporting the immediate release of Satpal Ram. However the then Home Secretary Jack Straw, refused to accept the recommendation and ordered that Satpal, should remain in prison.
Dennis Stafford's recent victory at the European Court of Human Rights has forced the present Home Secretary David Blunkett to reverse that decision. The ruling clearly stated that the continued detention by the Home Secretary, after the parole boards recommendation to release someone was illegal.
Satpal Ram's lawyer, Daniel Guedalla, said: "It does not mean they accept he is innocent and he is still challenging his wrongful conviction. This is a victory but not complete vindication. He is still on a life licence until his conviction is quashed. He lost 18 months or more of his liberty because of Jack Straw interfering."
Satpal's campaign to clear his name will continue after his release