Killer Simon Hall: The Very Real Innocence Fraud Phenomenon, The Cult-Like “Wrongful Conviction” Movement, The CCRC, John Curtis, Michael J Naughton, Campbell Malone, Correna Platt, Keir Starmer, Simon Spence, BBC’s Rough Justice, Jon Robins, Emily Bolton & Clive Stafford Smith (Part 19g)©️

I think it’s clear that exonerations can be the result of fraud or misconduct on the part of post-conviction activists and litigators

John M Collins Jr

The majority of the people in the cult-like “wrongful conviction” movement will not acknowledge or address the innocence fraud phenomenon.

Not only do these people seem to not want to acknowledge and address this very real phenomenon, they do not to want to recognise and address their own failures and errors.

The majority of the people and organisations who were once associated with killer Simon Hall’s fraudulent public relations (PR) spin campaign and innocence fraud did not, and do not, appear to posses the humility to admit they were wrong or how, why and where exactly they went wrong.

Current Labour leader Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer Makes The Evidence Disappear

Before becoming the director of public prosecutions and head of the crown prosecution service (CPS) in 2008, the now leader of the labour party Keir Starmer appeared in the last ever BBC Rough Justice TV show.

The Rough Justice TV show was called The Innocents’ Brief and aired in April 2007 and featured the case of actual, factual guilty killer Simon Hall.

During the TV show Keir Starmer stated the following;

Simon Hall’s case is really peculiar because there is no particular reason to believe he is guilty of this offence.

The one crucial link is the fibre evidence.

Break this and the case disappears

Labour MP Keir Starmer via Rough Justice TV show – April 2007

On the 23rd of November 2006 Bristol university students had met with Keir Starmer at Doughty Street Chambers in London where “he raised an issue regarding the absence of statistical probabilities in the fibre evidence given by Judith Cunnison.

Why didn’t Keir Starmer point out to the students that killer Simon Hall and the Hall family’s concoctions were a “crucial” part of the case against Simon Hall?

Campbell Malone

Campbell Malone

Campbell Malone, who was Simon Hall’s solicitor also appeared in the BBC Rough Justice TV show.

The following year Linda Tsang wrote a media article which was headed Lawyer of the week: Campbell Malone and asked Campbell Malone the following question;

What was your worst day as a lawyer?

Linda Tsang

Campbell Malone’s response was;

There have been a few.

It’s losing those cases you believe should not have been lost. The outstanding convictions of Susan May and Eddie Gilfoyle have to rank among the worst unresolved miscarriages of justice there have been.

And to lose those cases in the Court of Appeal, when there were compelling arguments as to why the convictions should have been quashed, still deeply troubles me.

But I know those cases will eventually come back before the Court of Appeal.

Campbell Malone – from article by Linda Tsang for The Times headed Lawyer of the week: Campbell Malone dated the 20th May 2008

Hilda Marchbank (89) was murdered by her niece Susan May on the 11th of March 1992 and Paula Gilfoyle (32), who was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time, was murdered on the 4th of June 1997 by her husband Eddie Gilfoyle.

The killers of Hilda Marchbank and Paula Gilfoyle have both been unsuccessful at the court of appeal and both killers fraudulent public relations campaigns and cases, bare all the hallmarks of the innocence fraud phenomenon.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Three months before the criminal cases review commission’s (CCRC) announcement that they were referring killer Simon Hall’s murder conviction back to the court of appeal (CoA), Campbell Malone was quoted by the Guardian;

“What worries me is that to an unusually substantial degree this case turns on one area of evidence – fibre evidence” said Hall’s lawyer, Campbell Malone.

“There are, on the one hand, other potential explanations for the transfer of the fibres, and there are question marks about the reliability of the fibre evidence that we would expect to support it, which has troubled me.

Also, we are aware that there has been continuing research in the approach to be taken with fibre evidence, which has moved on from the way that evidence was gathered and presented in [Hall’s] case”

Campbell Malone via an article by Natalie Hanman for the Guardian dated the 21st of July 2009

Campbell Malone was described on Twitter as “our appeals supremo” by Stephensons solicitors, following the CCRC’s announcement that they had referred Simon Hall’s murder conviction back to the CoA in 2009;

A 2010 media article quoted Campbell Malone;

This is a worrying conviction based almost exclusively on fibre evidence.

“There is no doubt this was a violent murder, but we believe fresh evidence now emerging points away from Simon.

It follows that someone else was responsible and we would ask anyone with information to call us on 01942 777777”

By Tom Parkes* for the Colchester Gazette article headed
Convicted of murder…but ‘innocent’ man seeks freedom dated the 16th of March 2010

Note: *Tom Parkes article falsely stated that Simon Hall’s then wife Stephanie (Hall) “met him when they both worked at a company in East Hill, Colchester”. Simon Hall met Stephanie Bon at a company in East Hill, Colchester not Stephanie (Hall).

Correna Platt

Correna Platt who trained under Campbell Malone, began representing killer Simon Hall after Campbell’s semi retirement just before Simon Hall’s appeal was heard in December 2010.

Correna Platt

Corenna Platt made a statement following the court of appeals decision to uphold Simon Hall’s murder conviction;

His legal team are concerned by the approach taken by the Court in coming to this decision.

It was agreed by all that this conviction rested entirely on expert evidence relating to fibre evidence and there is much other evidence that pointed away from Simon’s guilt. 

Corenna Platt of Stephenson’s solicitors here

Simon Spence

Simon Spence

As questioned in previous Parts of the this blog series, it is still not known why Simon Spence seemingly did not point out to the CoA judges that the CCRC had cherry picked from the prosecutions closing speech from killer Simon Hall’s February 2003 trial.

The CCRC, and seemingly the CoA judges were seen to be able to magic away the Hall families “concocted” evidence, which again Graham Parkin the prosecution barrister had stated during the February 2003 was “woven into the general framework of the case”.

Jon Robins

Jon Robins

Four months before the innocence fraud scam related to actual, factual guilty killer Simon Hall began to unravel, Jon Robins published an article to his website under the header Wrongly accused: a need for ‘imagination and outrage, which also included statements made by Campbell Malone;

“We’re back where we were in the late 1980s”, argued Campbell Malone, the veteran defence lawyer and miscarriage of justice campaigner at a debate in Manchester last week. 

“We have a conservative and cautious Court of Appeal which has a deep-rooted scepticism of what they regard as the miscarriage of justice industry. That is supported by a lack of interest in the media”.

Campbell Malone, a consultant with Stephensons solicitors, was talking at the second debate about Wrongly accused: Who is responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice?

By Jon Robins for the Justice Gao article headed dated

Two Months Before The Innocence Fraud Scam Began To Unravel

Campbell Malone continued to act as a “criminal appeals consultant” for Stephensons solicitors and published a blog in September 2012, two months before killer Simon Hall and Jamie Barker’s Zenith Windows burglary became known about by his then wife Stephanie (Hall).

Stephensons solicitors indicated to Stephanie (Hall) that killer Simon Hall’s Zenith Windows burglary “omission” would not alter Simon’s “position” as an appellant.

Emily Bolton and husband Clive Stafford Smith

Campbell Malone’s blog was headed Where lies the truth in criminal defence cases? and included a reference to Clive Stafford Smith, husband of Emily Bolton who has promoted the innocence fraud of people like violent rapist and con man Andrew (Andy) Malkinson.

Tap on the button below for the index to the ongoing blog series on violent rapist Andrew Malkinson and his spin campaign;

Campbell Malone’s blog also made reference to a book headed “Where Lies the Truth” by Michael O’Connell, as well as the conviction of George Kelly, who murdered Leonard Thomas and John Catterall in 1949 and was executed on 28 March 1950.

The CCRC also referred George Kelly’s murder conviction was also referred to the CoA, who quashed his conviction posthumously, deeming his conviction ‘unsafe’.

An unsafe conviction however does not equate to factual innocence and it’s possible the CCRC used the same (or similar) deceptive tactics they used when they referred Simon Hall’s murder conviction in 2009.

Towards the end of 2012 Simon Hall decided to dispose of the services of his solicitor Corenna Platt and Michael Naughton from Bristol university became his representative instead.

It was during the time that Michael Naughton represented killer Simon Hall, that his factual guilt to his murder of Joan Albert began to unravel and was eventually exposed.

John Curtis

John Curtis ~ Case review manager at the criminal cases review commission

In 2015 John Curtis, who was the CCRC’s case review manager for killer Simon Hall, wrote an article which was shamefully headed Righting Wrongs.

John Curtis stated on the CCRC;

The Commission’s contribution to society is important.

Miscarriages of justice remain a reality, as are the challenges to the organisation charged with their investigation

Excerpt by John Curtis for Counsel magazine article headed Righting wrongs dated the 12th of January 2015

In 2016 Corenna Platt went on to take part in a two part BBC TV show called Conviction: Murder at the Station with Louise Shorter, which promoted the innocence fraud of Paula Poulton’s killer.

Link to Part 19h here

Killer Simon Hall: Bristol University’s Innocence Fraud Groomer Michael Naughton, Kar Khange, Christmas Fairy Lights, Night Of Friday 14th December, Argument Over Family Meal At Stoke Rochford & More Questions For Stephanie Bon & Lynne & Phil Hall – Part 19d©️

Stephanie Bon

Following the break up of our relationship Simon did collect all his belongings.

Excerpt from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Again, it is still not known on what date exactly Simon Hall collected “all his belongings” from Stephanie Bon’s home in Colchester, Essex.

Lynne Hall
Phil Hall

Where Did Simon Hall Sleep On Friday 14th December 2001?

Is is also still not known where Simon Hall slept on the night of Friday the 14th and where exactly Matt (Matthew) W picked Simon up from to go and collect his new Audi motor vehicle, which Simon had been to view with his girlfriend Stephanie Bon “the previous Wednesday the 12th December at a garage known as Haverhill Kar Khange”.

Killer Simon Hall stated;

Having seen the car on that day I had agreed to purchase it and collect it the following Saturday the 15th.

I could not have collected it on the Wednesday as Stephanie does not drive and whoever took me over to pick up the car needed to be able to drive themselves back

Excerpts from pages 1 and 2 of Simon Hall’s Proof of evidence statement

Matt W confirmed he had picked Simon Hall up on the morning of Saturday the 15th December, in order for them to collect Simon’s new Audi motor vehicle.

Simon Hall had already paid for the car on the Wednesday, when he viewed it with Stephanie Bon.

However Matt W did not mention in his statement where exactly he picked Simon up from ie; Simon’s adoptive parents Lynne and Phil Hall’s home in Capel St Mary or his girlfriend Stephanie Bon’s home in Colchester – or somewhere else.

Christmas Fairy Lights

Lynne Hall told Suffolk police that Joan Albert had bought Lynne some Christmas fairy lights, although it’s not clear based on Lynne’s statement on what date exactly Lynne collected the Christmas lights.

It is also not clear from Lynne Hall’s police statement on what date her adoptive son Simon had allegedly “put them up in the bush outside” Lynne’s kitchen window, or if he ever really did.

Lynne Hall stated;

I remember that Joan bought me some Christmas fairy lights from the Co-op in Capel, she actually paid for them and told me that I had to collect them.

I collected them and Simon put them up in the bush outside my kitchen window

Excerpt from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated the 25th of July 2002
Example of outdoor Christmas fairy lights

Two days after her adoptive sons murder of Joan Albert, referring to the Friday evening (14th of December) Lynne Hall stated to Suffolk police;

The last time I actually saw Joan was on Friday evening, the fourteenth of December.

I waved to her at about 8.10am as I went to work to catch the bus.

I always used to check that she was up and Rusty was in the window.

I came home after work. I got the 5.40, number 93 bus, from the Buttermarket in Ipswich.

That usually gets me into the village at between 6.15 and 6.20pm.

I was already carrying shopping. My own and some that I had done for her. I also had Phil’s Christmas present.

It was a device that turned a bath into a spa bath.

I got off the bus and went into the Co-op and got a few items. I then went straight to Joan’s.

I was feeling ill just starting to come down with a bug.

I popped in intending to be quick, it was not usual for me to go in if I did not take Rusty out because he would get so excited.

We talked about the Christmas lights that she had bought me from the Co-op because some of them were not working.

Joan actually phoned me not long after I got home, it takes me maybe 5 minutes to get back.

All she actually wanted to know was if I Simon (sic), our son, had checked the lights.

Excerpt’s from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated Tuesday the 18th December 2001 (Read more excerpts in Part 4 here)

Although Lynne Hall mentioned the Christmas lights to the police, along with Simon’s name, Lynne did not actually state she had seen Simon on the Friday night or whether or not there were any plans for Lynne to see Simon that night.

Plus Lynne Hall only mentioned seeing her husband Phil Hall who had allegedly had a work colleague of his with him when Lynne got back home from visiting Joan Albert.

Lynne Hall stated;

Phil was at home with a colleague and he left just after 6.50pm and I had not even taken my coat off

Excerpt from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated Tuesday the 18th December 2001

Argument Over Christmas Meal At Stoke Rochford

It is therefore not clear whether or not Simon and his then girlfriend Stephanie Bon (and Lynne and Phil Hall) had argued on the Friday about there allegedly not being “enough room at the table”, at the pre arranged Christmas family meal up in Lincolnshire.

Stoke Rochford Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire

It is also not known on what date exactly Stephanie Bon questioned “whether the relationship was worth continuing with”, as Stephanie had stated to the police.

Also not known is if the real reason for Stephanie Bon to question whether or not her relationship with Simon Hall was “worth continuing with” was due to Stephanie not being able to attend the family Christmas meal at Stoke Rochford, or if it was because of something else.

Shaun Hall older brother of Simon Hall

Unless Stephanie Bon had learned after all that there was “enough room at the table” because Shaun Hall and his girlfriend Leigh had pulled out at the last minute following “an argument”, due to their son having only recently been released from hospital.

Shaun Hall told police;

During the weekend of the 15th, 16th December 2001 I recall working overtime at my place of employment from about 8am – 1pm on Saturday 15th December 2001

I further recall having an argument with my girlfriend Leigh when I got home, in relation to a planned family visit to Lincolnshire the next day. Leigh and X were due to travel with my parents, Simon and I for a family reunion with my mothers side of the family

However X was ill and Leigh was refusing to let him travel as a result of this

I was upset about this, as my mothers parents had not seen X before

Excerpts from Shaun Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

And Leigh, Shaun Hall’s then girlfriend, told the police;

Further to my previous statement I wish to add that on Saturday the 15th of December 2001, I believe I remained at my parents address of (redacted) with my young son X who had been quite ill and only released from hospital on the previous Thursday.

On 16th December 2001, we were all meant to be attending a large family meal but, due to X being ill, Shaun and I remained at home

Excerpt’s from Leigh Marshall’s police witness statement dated 27th August 2002

Although this still would not explain why Stephanie Bon would have questioned “whether the relationship was worth continuing with” because according to Stephanie Bon’s police statement, it was Lynne Hall who lied about there not being “enough room at the table”, not Simon.

Although it is possible Simon Hall had never asked Lynne about bringing his girlfriend along.

Again Stephanie Bon’s evidence was;

On Saturday the 15th of December 2001 I remember being at home in Colchester with my brother and old flat mate, Lionel *****, who lived at the house for a year.

We remained in all night and I clearly remember this time, as I was meant to be going to a family meal the following day.

On the Sunday Simon was off for a meal with relatives and asked me to go along as well. I instantly agreed, looking forward to meeting the rest of the family but, unfortunately Simon did not get around to asking his mum until it was too late.

By the time Simon asked Lynne, there was not enough room at the table and I was unable to go along

This had annoyed me and I remember questioning whether the relationship was worth continuing with.

I believe Simon said he was going out with some friends on the Saturday night, although I am not sure

Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Link to Part 19e here

Killer Simon Hall: Innocence Fraud Groomer Michael Naughton of Bristol University, Yet More Questions For Lynne & Phil Hall & Stephanie Bon, Evidence Of Collusion, Judge Anne Rafferty’s Summing Up, Confusion Over Girlfriend At Time Of Murder, Impression Management, State Chemicals, Obscuring & Embellishing The Truth & The Lies About Bonfire Night – Part 19e©️

Lynne Hall
Phil Hall

It is not known if Stephanie Bon spoke to and colluded with killer Simon Hall prior to and/or following his arrest for his murder of Joan Albert before Stephanie gave her evidneve to the police – via her September 2002 witness statement.

It is also not known if Stephanie Bon spoke to and colluded with Lynne, Phil and/or Shaun Hall or others – like Jamie Barker as one example or Simon’s then girlfriend Phoebe Grant as another example, prior to and/or following Simon Hall arrest.

Security van taking convicted murderer Simon Hall to prison

However a media article stated that Stephanie Bon had attended killer Simon Hall’s trial in February 2003 and that Stephanie Bon was apparently the “first person to speak to” Simon “after he was convicted”, as can be read in the below excerpts;

Stephanie Bon became close friends with Simon Hall when they worked at a chemical company in Colchester’s East Hill.

He even taught her to drive, but they lost touch when the firm closed down.

Then, Hall was charged with the murder of pensioner Joan Albert at her home in Capel St Mary.

Stephanie attended the murder trial with Hall’s family, confident he would be cleared.

“I was the first person to speak to him after he was convicted. He was absolutely distraught

Excerpts by Chris Wilkin for a Colchester Gazette article headed Colchester: Stephanie fights to clear friend’s name dated the 16th of April 2007

According to judge Anne Rafferty’s summing up at the end of Simon Hall’s trial, Stephanie Bon was also portrayed as “a friend” of killer Simon Hall, as opposed to his girlfriend.

Tap on the button below to read the judges summing up in full;

Stephanie Bon told the police she was Simon Hall’s girlfriend at the time of his murder of Joan Albert not merely “a friend” of Simon’s.

Again, Simon Hall told police during his first interview (following his arrest) that Stephanie Bon had been his “girlfriend” prior to Phoebe Grant (Read more on page 30 here);

Below are a few statements Stephanie Bon made to the police six weeks after Simon Hall’s arrest;

Around October 2001, Simon and I became an item.

He used to stay at my house in Colchester, regularly, as it was so much more convenient for work.

Over time he left various items at my house, so he (sic) changes of clothes and wash things.

After a few weeks of being together, Simon introduced me to his parents Lynn and Phil. Lynn was really friendly, and it was obvious she thought highly of Simon.

Phil always chatted to me too, I think they saw something quite serious in me and we all got on so well

Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Although Stephanie Bon appeared to think Lynne and Phil Hall “saw something quite serious in” her and because they “all got on so well”, the evidence tells a different story.

Why Did Lynne, Phil & Shaun Hall Pretend Stephanie Bon Did Not Exist?

As already pointed out in previous Parts of this blog series, all of the Hall family members (Simon, Lynne, Phil and Shaun) withheld evidence from the police relating to Stephanie Bon.

Lynne, Phil and Shaun Hall all pretended in their evidence to the police that Stephanie Bon did not exist.

Lynne, Phil and Shaun Hall were all asked by the police about previous girlfriends Simon Hall had had, but Stephanie Bon’s name did not appear in any of their statements at all.

Also Simon, Lynne, Phil and Shaun Hall all attempted to give the impression via their evidence that “home” for Simon Hall in December 2001 was his adoptive parents house at 8 Snowcroft, Capel St Mary.

The evidence also tells a different story.

How Did Stephanie Bon Feel Knowing The Hall’s Had Pretended She Did Not Exist?

When Simon Hall went for his first interview with State Chemicals in Colchester in July/August 2002 whereby he was unsuccessful on that occasion, he was in a relationship with a woman called Zoe.

Simon Hall then had another interview with the same company, in which he was offered a position as a purchase ledger clerk and started working for State Chemicals on the 24th of September 2001.

Excerpts from Simon Hall’s line managers evidence read;

About a month after Simon started working there he started seeing the Managing Director’s PA Stephanie Bonn, (sic) I don’t know exactly when their relationship became more than friends but it did become apparent that it was so after a while

…Simon was made redundant and he left the company in January 2002

His relationship with Stephanie Bonn (sic) I think was very on/off

Looking back his work did start to suffer in November/December 2001 when his relationship with Stephanie Bonn started to break up

I did see some of the E-mails they were sending each other on the company systems which were really only the sort of romantic boyfriend/girlfriend type messages

Excerpts from police witness statement of Simon Hall’s line manager from State Chemicals dated 13th September 2002

Simon Hall told the police following his arrest that he met Stephanie Bon when he “was interviewed for the job at State Chemicals”, which would have been September 2001.

Simon Hall also indicated to the police that he had “just split up” with Zoe by the time he met Stephanie Bon.

Obscuring & Embellishing The Truth

By the time Simon Hall eventually started working at State Chemicals in Colchester it appeared that he had already moved back to his adoptive parents Lynne and Phil’s home in Capel St Mary, because his previous girlfriend had booted him out of her home.

Stephanie Bon, who was not called to give evidence during killet Simon Hall’s February 2003 trial, told police;

Around the end of September 2001, Simon informed me that Zoe and him, had broken up.

Simon then moved back to his parents house in Snowcroft, Capel St Mary.

We were still really good friends at this time.

Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Lynne Hall told the police:

Simon did stay last year between October and the end of December when I say stay I mean had a key to our house, it was often the case he would stay at friends houses

Excerpt from Phil Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

It is not known why Lynne Hall chose to also lie to the police by pretending her adoptive son Simon was still in a relationship with Zoe up “until just before Christmas 2001”.

The evidence demonstrated that by October 2001, Simon Hqll was already in another relationship with Stephanie Bon.

Referring to Zoe, Lynne Hall told police;

That relationship began in March or April 2001

That relationship lasted until just before Christmas 2001, I had even bought presents for Zoe and X

Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

Judge Anne Rafferty also appeared to have been under the impression that Simon Hall’s relationship with Zoe had ended by “bonfire nightish” 2001.

Again the evidence strongly suggests Simon Hall was living with Stephanie Bon “regularly” by this time.

In reality, while Stephanie Bon was being “introduced” to Simon Hall’s adoptive parents Lynne and Phil Hall, and thinking Lynne and Phil “saw something quite serious in” her because they “all got on so well”, Zoe and Stephanie Bon were being abused by Simon Hall and the abuse appears to have been enabled by Lynne and Phil Hall.

In early November 2001, while in a new relationship with Stephanie Bon and apparently living with her “regularly” in Colchester, Simon Hall met up with his ex girlfriend Zoe for a “bonfire night” in the village of Capel St Mary.

Lynne Hall stated;

As far as Zoe is concerned I remember they had one particularly bad argument on the Saturday night last year when the village celebrated bonfire night.

In fact just prior to that Saturday night last year they had argued and split up and Simon was living back home.

They went to the village bonfire night with me to attempt a reconciliation, the night went well and everything was OK

Simon ended up taking Zoe home and coming back by himself to our house.

After that he went round to a friends house, I can’t remember where or to who, he did get home late.

Zoe rang the following morning and because Simon was late up she got very angry about his lack of commitment

Excerpts from Lynne Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

The “one particularly bad argument” referred to by Lynne Hall occurred in September when Simon and Zoe “split up”, not on “bonfire night”.

Lynne Hall would have no doubt known the “friends house” was Stephanie Bon’s.

Lynne Hall lied once again to both Zoe and the police when she stated her adoptive son Simon had been “home late” and was “late up”.

In reality, Simon Hall did not go back to Capel St Mary and enabler Lynne Hall would not have known what time he got up the next day, because he was with his girlfriend Stephanie Bon in Colchester.

Simon Hall told the police about the night as follows;

  • Simon And when trying to reconcile, everything was great, she said ”OK we’ll give it a go” and then that was Fireworks Night, she came down to the little Fireworks in Capel
  • Dc 1023 Yes
  • Simon With X her son, and everything was great and then she went home and she, her mate was with her, and her mate felt a bit ill. So I, I felt a little bit ill so I decided to go home and then on the way I felt a little bit better, so I just thought I’d go out and see my mates in Colchester
  • Dc 1023 Ah OK. Right. Sorry to hear that. OK. When, just to go on a stage further from there really, I’m just trying to, I just want to sum up. Stephanie BON wasn’t a serious relationship, it was just what they call an ’off and on relationship’ but Zoe was almost a permanent relationship
  • Simon Mmm
  • Dc 1023 Etc and the relationship was terminated due to the fact you went off to Colchester etc and you said that you were ill and you went home, but you didn’t go home you went to Colchester, so it was..
  • Simon She was very paranoid

Zoe was not “paranoid”.

Zoe was in a toxic relationship with an abusive man, Simon Hall, who had an enmeshed relationship with his toxic and abusive adoptive mother Lynne Hall.

Link to Part 19f here

Killer Simon Hall: Bristol University’s Michael Naughton Aka Empowering The Innocent, Collusion, Dishonesty, Phoebe Grant, Flowers & Chocolates, The Missing “Larey Or Loud” Black Shirt With Red Splashes & More Questions For Stephanie Bon & Adoptive Parents Lynne & Phil Hall – Part 19c©️

Lynne Hall
Phil Hall

25th July 2002

On the day of their adoptive killer sons arrest, while he was in police custody Simon Hall stated during his 1st interview (Read more on page 30 here) that Stephanie Bon had been his girlfriend prior to Phoebe Grant;

When the police asked him about the night before his murder of Joan Albert and whether or not he planned “to come home after the evening out”, killer Simon Hall indicated to police he was “a single man” by this point and also stated “you don’t know where you’re going to end up” (Read more on page 15 here);

Killer Simon Hall also stated;

Mum had said she wanted me back at some point because we were going out the next day

Simon Hall – 26th of July 2002

Lynne Hall told police;

Simon told me at some stage that Saturday that he was going out and would probably not be back that night

I told him to be back because we were leaving early

I wanted him home at five or six am as I wanted to make sure he was okay and dressed properly

Lynne Hall – 25th July 2002

As previously stated, the only time Lynne Hall could have seen her adoptive son Simon on that Saturday was approximately during 6.00pm-7.00pm, and Lynne Hall’s statement of wanting Simon “home at five or six am” did not, and does not, ring true.

Phil Hall told police;

I don’t know when Simon left the house or even if I saw him at all that day.

I do not know what he was wearing that day at all.

I recall that Lynne had asked Simon to make sure he was back in time to leave for Stoke Rochford

Phil Hall – 25th July 2002

Not unlike his wife Lynne Hall’s ludicrous statement of wanting Simon “home at five or six” in the morning, Phil Hall’s equally ludicrous statement of “I don’t know when Simon left the house or if I saw him at all that day” was cancelled out by the fact Phil Hall had then went on to state he recalled that his wife “Lynne had asked Simon to make sure he was back in time to leave for Stoke Rochford”.

It is not known if Simon, Lynne, Phil and Shaun Hall colluded with one another prior to Simon’s arrest regarding what they would each tell Suffolk police.

However when the Hall families evidence and various types of lies, contradictions and concoctions were, and are, viewed in there entirety, there is no getting away from the fact they were not being honest.

Simon, Lynne, Phil and Shaun Hall all behaved like they had something to hide.

Questions For Stephanie Bon

It is not known exactly when Simon Hall became “a single man” and Simon’s statement to the police does not appear to have been his girlfriend Stephanie Bon’s understanding or belief at the time.

Stephanie Bon stated around 5 weeks after killer Simon Hall’s arrest;

Around October 2001, Simon and I became an item.

He used to stay at my house in Colchester, regularly, as it was so much more convenient for work.

Over time he left various items at my house, so he (sic) changes of clothes and wash things.

I would describe our relationship as generally good, we did argue occasionally, but nothing significant.

Simon was a kind and funny person and hated arguing

After a few weeks of being together, Simon introduced me to his parents Lynn and Phil. Lynn was really friendly, and it was obvious she thought highly of Simon.

Phil always chatted to me too, I think they saw something quite serious in me and we all got on so well

On Saturday the 15th of December 2001 I remember being at home in Colchester with my brother and old flat mate, Lionel *****, who lived at the house for a year.

We remained in all night and I clearly remember this time, as I was meant to be going to a family meal the following day.

On the Sunday Simon was off for a meal with relatives and asked me to go along as well.

I instantly agreed, looking forward to meeting the rest of the family but, unfortunately Simon did not get around to asking his mum until it was too late.

By the time Simon asked Lynne, there was not enough room at the table and I was unable to go along

This had annoyed me and I remember questioning whether the relationship was worth continuing with.

I believe Simon said he was going out with some friends on the Saturday night, although I am not sure

Simon was very close to his mum, and I think he was quite worried about how she would cope, as I believe she was on anti depressants prior to the murder.

He talked about the incident, but mainly about concern for his mum

We began to visit his parents quite regularly, taking over flowers and chocolates and checking up on his mum.

Simon was quite emotional person (sic) and seemed upset by the incident, which I would expect him to be

I didn’t notice any dramatic change in Simon after the murder.

He was obviously upset, shocked and concerned for his mother but this did not seem out of the ordinary.

He was still himself and there wasn’t any clothing that he suddenly stopped wearing.

Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

Stephanie Bon did not give any indication to the police that her and Simon had split up by the day before Simon Hall committed his murder of Joan Albert.

The Missing “Larey Or Loud” Black Shirt With Red Splashes

It is not known if Stephanie Bon has given any more thought to what may have led Simon Hall to state he was “a single man” by Saturday the 15th of December 2001, nor is it known if Stephanie Bon has given any more thought to Simon Hall’s missing black and red shirt.

Nicola (Laura T’s friend) appeared to have been the only witness to have mentioned the “larey or loud shirt which was black with red splashes over it” previously owned and worn by killer Simon Hall;

I do recall laughing at Simons shirt which was black with red splashes over it

It was a ’bit larey’ or loud

Excerpts from Laura T’s friend Nicola’s police witness statement dated 27th August 2002

Because Phil Hall seemingly chose to pretend to not have seen what his adoptive son Simon Hall was wearing before he left 8 Snowcroft to go out for the night.

And Lynne Hall blatantly lied about what Simon was wearing when he arrived at their home at 6.30am the following morning.

Suffolk police would not have known that Simon Hall was wearing his “larey shirt which was black with red splashes over it” and therefore would not have been able to ask Stephanie Bon if Simon “had suddenly stopped wearing it”.

It is also not known if Stephanie Bon would have been honest with the police even if she had realised Simon had stopped wearing his black and red shirt.

Especially given the fact Stephanie Bon also chose to lie by omission about the stolen CD players from the Zenith Windows burglary.

Read more about the Zenith Window burglary secret by tapping on the button below;

Stephanie Bon also told the police;

Following the break up of our relationship Simon did collect all his belongings

The only item I still have is a blue and white long sleeved work shirt

Excerpts from Stephanie Bon’s police witness statement dated 4th September 2002

It is also not known if killer Simon Hall collected “all his belongings” prior to his murder of Joan Albert, when Stephanie Bon had told police she was “annoyed” after being told “there was not enough room at the table” and she was “questioning whether the relationship was worth continuing”, or if Simon Hall had collected them sometime after Christmas 2001.

Link to Part 19d here

Killer Simon Hall: Bristol University’s Michael Naughton Aka “Empowering The Innocent”, Heather Mills, Private Eye Magazine, Higham Burglary, TIE Suspect, Lynne & Phil Hall, Suspicious & Conflicting Accounts, Vanishing Clothing & Shoes & More Bare Faced Lies, Concoctions, & Malicious, Manipulative & Distractive Innocence Fraud Phenomenon Tactics – Part 19b©️

As stated in Part 19a of this blog series Michael Naughton, and in turn Heather Mills from Private Eye magazine, lied in 2009 about the “fingerprints found above Mrs Albert’s body” and “DNA on her body”.

Photo of Heather Mills and Ian Hislop from Private Eye in 2011 here

The November 2009 Private Eye article (Referred to in Part 19 here) also stated;

Eye readers will recall that Hall was only put in the frame because his mother used to care for Mrs Albert and had a key to her house.

He had a firm alibi for all but about half an hour on the night Mrs Albert was killed.

He was pubbing and clubbing with friends in Ipswich, dropping one off at his house between 05:30 and 6am, before arriving home to his mother, Lynne, at round 6.15am.

As it was, it was unlikely he could have broken in to Mrs Albert’s home, killed her and arrived back home.

But there was absolutely no way he could have burgled one old person’s home and then moved on to Mrs Albert’s.

Excerpts from page 29 of Heather Mills article for Private Eye magazine published on the 13th of November 2009 (Edition number 1249)

Heather Mills following statement;

But there was absolutely no way he could have burgled one old person’s home and then moved on to Mrs Albert’s.

was pointless and was yet another innocence fraud distraction tactic.

As already mentioned in Part 19a here the Higham burglary “was formally linked to a series of antique thefts” and the “two crimes were not formally linked”, ie: killer Simon Hall’s murder of Joan Albert in Capel St Mary was not related to the antiques theft of “the old person’s” home in Higham.

Crime scene photo of broken kitchen window

The fact killer Simon Hall’s adoptive mother Lynne Hall had a key to Joan Albert’s home was irrelevant because Simon Hall broke Joan Albert’s kitchen window (Pictured above) to gain access to her and her home.

If Simon Hall had of had a “firm alibi” as suggested by Heather Mills for Private Eye magazine (courtesy of Michael Naughton), it’s unlikely Simon would have been “put in the frame” in the first place.

TIE (Trace/Interview/Eliminate) Suspect

There were numerous reasons why killer Simon Hall was “put in the frame” for his murder, some of which have already been highlighted throughout this blog series, which begins here.

For example, as referred to in Part 2 here due to the fact Simon Hall had previous criminal convictions for violence, and because he had in the past lived nearby and knew the area well, Simon Hall’s name was quickly flagged by the HOLMES information technology system used by police for investigations.

Simon Hall was automatically categorised as a TIE suspect (trace, interview, eliminate) in relation to Joan Albert’s murder.

Therefore Suffolk police may have known when they first began interviewing Lynne Hall on the 18th of December 2001, that her youngest adoptive sons name had already been flagged up by HOLMES.

Lynne Hall’s behaviour and statements in particular gave numerous suspicious and conflicting accounts from the very beginning of her contact with the police.

Lynne Hall – 2011
Photo courtesy of BBC

This was clearly done by Lynne Hall in an attempt to deflect away attention and cover up for her adoptive guilty killer son Simon Hall.

More on Lynne Hall and her evidence can be read by tapping on the button below;

By Tuesday the 18th of December 2001, just two days after Joan Albert was discovered to have been murdered, Lynne Hall was offering up two possible suspects.

Lynne Hall told Suffolk police she had seen two youths/men in the village of Capel St Mary “on the Monday or Tuesday of the previous week the 10th and 11th December”.

Lynne Hall also stated on the same day;

I thought about ringing the barman Trevor ***** who is a builder in the village, in fact I didn’t do that.

That roof is quite high with a flat roof.

I believe from that roof Joan’s house could be seen

It is not known what Lynne Hall thought “ringing the barman Trevor ***** who is a builder in the village” would have achieved exactly, but many other houses would have been “seen from that roof”.

If Lynne Hall had had genuine concerns about the two youths/men, including the one who she said had “a pleasant face” but who gave her “the impression they seemed guilty”, why didn’t Lynne tell someone at the time or contact the police?

It appears Lynne Hall’s choice of words were a Freudian slip or her psychological projections perhaps, or a combination of the two?

Were Lynne Hall’s unconscious emotions about the men she had allegedly seen the week before, really all about her adoptive killer son Simon Hall and what Lynne had witnessed just two days earlier?

Questions For Lynne & Phil Hall

Was it really killer Simon Hall with his “pleasant face” who gave Lynne Hall the “impression he seemed guilty” when he arrived at her and Phil Hall’s home at 6.30am, after having committed his murder of Joan Albert?

Lynne Hall went on to state in November 2013 (Read more in Part 10 here) that she had seen the “microwave size” locker her adoptive son Simon Hall, and Jamie Barker, had stolen from the Zenith Windows burglary, allegedly in her garden on the morning of her sons murder of Joan Albert.

Why did Lynne Hall really choose to omit to tell Suffolk police about this fact at the time, and what else did Lynne Hall lie by omission to Suffolk police about?

Lynne Hall said she had apparently asked her adoptive son Simon what the stolen “microwave size” locker was and had then apparently told him to “get rid” of said stolen locker as she “did not want it in her garden”.

Photo of an example of industrial waste bins

Killer Simon Hall claimed he got “rid of” the stolen “microwave size” locker in an industrial waste bin (Along with the clothing, shoes and leather jacket he wore when he committed his murder of Joan Albert) early on the morning of Monday the 17th of December 2001.

Rather than telephone his line manager to ask for a few days off work in order to “look after” his adoptive mother Lynne (Which was the reason he gave for asking for a few days off work) Simon Hall used the excuse to drive to State Chemicals in Colchester to dispose of all incriminating evidence.

Suspicious Behaviour & Vanishing Clothing & Shoes

What exactly did Lynne Hall make of her adoptive son driving all the way to Colchester to ask for a couple of days off, when a quick telephone call could have been made instead?

Did Simon Hall behaviour strike Lynne Hall (or any of the Hall family members) as suspicious or unusual or was Lynne Hall actually aware of the fact Simon needed to “get ridof incriminating evidence?

It is not known if Lynne and/or Phil Hall saw Simon Hall put the “microwave size” locker in his car, or if either of them saw Simon carrying the clothing, shoes and bulky leather jacket he had been wearing when he carried out his murder of Joan Albert, down the stairs from bedroom 3 and out of their home on that Monday morning.

It is also not known if a conversation was ever had between Simon and Lynne, and/or Phil Hall, about why Simon’s clothing, shoes and leather jacket had suddenly vanished.

Lynne & Phil Hall’s Lies & Concoctions

Simon Hall had purchased a brand new pair of mole skin type jeans/trousers from Tesco’s the day before.

He then drove straight to his adoptive parents home in Capel St Mary with his new jeans/trousers and had spent a maximum of an hour at their house, before heading out for the night.

Lynne Hall claimed to the police on the day her adoptive son was arrested;

On Saturday the 15th of December 2001 I was ill in bed all day.

I seem to think that Simon was around during the day and he put his head in to make sure I was okay.

I may have popped down to make a drink.

The Sunday we were off to Stoke Rochford in Lincolnshire which is a stately home, it was a family get together.

Simon told me at some stage that Saturday that he was going out and would probably not be back that night.

I told him to be back because we were leaving early.

I wanted him home at five or six am as I wanted to make sure he was okay and dressed properly

Excerpt’s from Lynne Hall’s 25th July 2002 police witness statement
Phil Hall

Also on the day his adoptive son was arrested, Phil Hall stated;

On the 15th December 2001 my wife was upstairs unwell in bed, I don’t know when Simon left the house or even if I saw him at all that day.

I do not know what he was wearing that day at all.

I recall that Lynne had asked Simon to make sure he was back in time to leave for Stoke Rochford in Lincolnshire where we had a family do

Excerpt from Phil Hall’s police witness statement dated 25th July 2002

Did Lynne and Phil Hall really not recall seeing Simon Hall wearing his ‘larey black shirt with red splashes over it’?

Nicola, who referred to her diary entries recalled seeing Simon wearing this particular shirt a week earlier.

Tap on the button below to read more about Nicola’s evidence;

Nicola had stated in her evidence that she recalled “laughing at” the shirt because “it was a bit larey’ or loud

I do recall laughing at Simons shirt which was black with red splashes over it

It was a ’bit larey’ or loud

Excerpts from Laura T’s friend Nicola’s police witness statement dated 27th August 2002

Link to Part 19c here

Killer Simon Hall: When Will Bristol University’s Michael Naughton Address His Innocence Fraud, Heather Mills, Private Eye Magazine, The Higham Burglary Which Was Formally Linked To Series Of Antique Thefts, John M Collins Jr, Mark Godsey, Ohio Innocence Project, David Protess, Northwestern University & Psycho Killer & Gang Member Anthony Porter – Part 19a©️

Femicide or feminicide is described as a hate crime broadly defined as “the intentional killing of women or girls because they are female”.

Killer Simon Hall’s sadistic ‘lust’ type murder of Joan Albert appears to have been associated to his covert and misogynistic hatred towards females.

The November 2009 Private Eye article (Referred to in Part 19 of this blog series here) did not address femicide or why someone would choose to murder Joan Albert and instead included the following statements;

In fact there is another crucial piece of evidence which points to Hall’s innocence.

It had been buried in a mass of unused material, handed over to Hall’s defence team just days before his trial, and it has recently been unearthed by law students working on Bristol University “Innocence Project”.

The students found a statement from a care worker who looked after an elderly man living 10 minutes away from Mrs Albert in Capel St Mary and who was also the victim of a burglary on the night Mrs Albert was stabbed.

The care worker reported that immediately after the burglary she noticed that two kitchen knives she regularly used to prepare meals had gone missing.

Later, when shown a picture of the murder weapon, she identified it as “similar to the one stolen.

It appears to have the same colour handle and length of blade.

It also has the same rivets on the handle”.

The students also found a “schedule of unused material” which showed that DNA was recovered from the knife from ‘more than one person’ but “the results are believed to be of no practical use”.

Could this be because, just like the fingerprints found above Mrs Albert’s body, footprints found in the garden and DNA on her body, it didn’t match Hall’s?

If if is established that the murder weapon was, as the care worker believed, stolen during the other house raid, it proves Hall could not possibly have been the killer.

Excerpts from page 29 of Heather Mills article for Private Eye magazine published on the 13th of November 2009 (Edition number 1249)
Photo of Heather Mills from Private Eye magazine from 2011 here

‘Shady’ & Malicious Manipulation, Distraction Tactics & Lies

Prior to Private Eye magazines publication of their insensitively headed article A Stab in the dark, Michael Naughton received a copy of the criminal cases review commissions October 2009 statement of reasons (SoR), which again can be read by tapping on the button below;

Below are excerpts from the bottom of page 34 and top of page 35 of the criminal cases review commissions SoR;

Copies from bottom of page 34 and top of page 35 of the criminal cases review commission statements of reasons here

The Higham burglary, as referred to by the criminal cases review commission, and as noted in the above excerpts from the Private Eye magazine article, “was formally linked to a series of antique thefts” and the “two crimes were not formally linked”.

Furthermore, and as referred to in previous Parts of this ongoing blog series, killer Simon Hall was with his work colleague Jamie Barker until approximately 05:30hrs in Ipswich.

It was then around a 20 minutes to drive from Jamie Barker’s mothers house in Ipswich to Snowcroft, Capel St Mary, where Simon Hall then proceeded to park his car and make his way to Joan Albert’s home located in Boydlands – on foot.

Nothing was “buried in a mass of unused material” as claimed by Michael Naughton and re-stated in the 2009 Private Eye magazine article.

In reality Michael Naughton and his students had either;

  • not read all of the disclosed unused material
  • they had previously missed the statement from a care worker
  • or the content of said statement did not stand out as significant because the Higham burglary had already been “linked to a series of antiques thefts

Following the exposure of killer Simon Hall’s guilt and the innocence fraud in 2013, Michael Naughton contacted Stephanie (Hall) by telephone.

Michael Naughton was told of many of the numerous disclosures made by killer Simon Hall leading up to and following his eventual admittance to his murderous crime.

Michael Naughton appeared to accept the fact he had been duped and stated at the end of the telephone conversation he “did not want to hear the name Simon Hall again”.

Why The About-Turn?

Years later, in what appeared to be a malicious attempt to continue his own self interested fraudulent public relations campaign, Michael Naughton spoke to a reporter.

The reporter published the following, in respect of the knife killer Simon Hall had used to commit his murder of Joan Albert;

Also, the team of students made a startling discovery before Hall’s confession.

A DNA profile from the murder weapon had not been disclosed at trial.

“I knew this was dynamite”

Michael recounts excitedly.

“I was buzzing and couldn’t sleep for three days.

We knew that we were absolutely onto this”

Excerpts from an article by Alon Aviram for the Bristol Cable headed The working class academic fighting to overturn wrongful convictions dated the 2nd of March 2021

Killer Simon Hall claimed he wore his socks over his hands during his murder of Joan Albert, although it is possible he used a pair of gloves he already had with him.

It is also possible Simon Hall chose to lie about putting his socks over his hands, as referred to in Part 6 (which can be read by tapping on the button below) as if to somehow minimise his premeditated murder and to continue to exert power and control over others.

Circumstantial DNA cannot be dated, although killer Simon Hall was adamant his skin (Hands) did not come into contact with Joan Albert’s kitchen knife and he claimed he did not cut himself during his murder.

It is not known what “fingerprints found above Mrs Albert’s body” Michael Naughton and subsequently Private Eye magazine were referring to or the “DNA on her body”.

As already stated in Part 6 Joan Albert’s body and clothing were tested for “any evidence of direct sexual activity”. None were reported to be found.

So after breaking his own protocols, Michael Naughton and in turn Heather Mills from Private Eye magazine lied in 2009 about the “fingerprints found above Mrs Albert’s body” and “DNA on her body”.

Again, killer Simon Hall claimed he did not touch any doors and the “footprints found in the garden” belonged to Simon Hall, but he had disposed of his black office shoes on the Monday morning of the 17th of December 2001.

When Will Michael Naughton Address His Innocence Fraud?

Excerpts from a December 2010 article for the Barrister Magazine headed Why the conviction of Simon Hall cannot stand which included statements by Michael Naughton and demonstrated yet further evidence of him going against INUK protocols (Which were referred to in Part 19 here) read;

Mr Hall, now aged 33, was convicted solely on the basis of black nylon flock fibres and polyester fibres found in his addresses and vehicles that were claimed by the prosecution expert at trial, Judith Cunnison, to be highly rare and ‘indistinguishable’ from fibres found at the scene of crime and the deceased’s body.

Fibre evidence is regularly used by police forces in the UK and globally to assist in crime scene investigations.

However, as fibres, unlike DNA or fingerprints, cannot provide a positive identification of a suspect, they are rarely used to obtain convictions in the absence of other evidence.

Questioning the way in which fibre evidence was used in Mr Hall’s case, Dr Michael Naughton stated:

“The future use of fibre evidence in criminal trials rests on the judgment of Simon Hall’s appeal. It is of vital importance to the avoidance of convicting the innocent that the conviction is quashed and it is firmly established that it is inappropriate to use fibre evidence alone in light of its inherent shortcomings”

Excerpts from a 13th December 2010 article headed Why the conviction of Simon Hall cannot stand

Killer Simon Hall was not convicted “solely on the basis of black nylon flock fibres and polyester fibres found in his addresses and vehicles” nor was the “fibre evidence” used on its own to convict him!

As already pointed out in previous Parts of this ongoing blog series, Simon Hall was convicted on a wealth of circumstantial evidence which included the lies and concoctions of Simon Hall and the Hall family members (Lynne, Phil and Shaun).

Another Example Of The Innocence Fraud Phenomenon

John M Collins Jr worked as a forensic scientist for around 20 years.

In an article he wrote and published in December 2014 entitled Innocence Fraud’ Demands Prosecutor Vigilance, John Collins referred to having studied overturned convictions for “about 10 years” and stated;

The ends cannot justify the means when the means are fraudulent

John M Collins

John Collins’ warning (above) was posted on a “wrongful conviction” internet website in May 2015, just under a couple of years after Joan Albert’s killer Simon Hall’s innocence fraud and actual, factual guilt to his murder was exposed.

The Wrongful Conviction Blog was set up by Mark Godsey who was once a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, New York City.

Mark Godsey went on to become a co-founder and director of the Ohio Innocence Project in his hometown of Cincinnati and refers to himself here as ‘a leading scholar, attorney and activist in the Innocence Movement’.

John Collins also stated;

I think it’s clear that exonerations can be the result of fraud or misconduct on the part of post-conviction activists and litigators.

How frequently it happens can only be speculated, but recent events in Illinois and North Carolina should serve as a warning that some self-proclaimed righters of wrong will resort to shady tactics to secure the freedom of previously convicted felons

John M Collins Jr (Source here)

One of the events John Collins was referring to was in relation to the killer of teenagers Marilyn Green (19) and Jerry Hillard (18), both of whom were murdered on the 15th August 1982 by a violent, psychopathic gang member called Anthony Porter.

David Protess with his arms and legs wrapped around the actual, factual, guilty psychopathic killer, and violent gang member, of Marilyn Green (19) and Jerry Hillard (18)

John Collins went into many of the details of the innocence fraud phenomenon fiasco, which saw actual, factual, guilty killer Anthony Porter released from prison and “exonerated” and Alstory Simon wrongly convicted and framed for Anthony Porters murderous crimes, in his book Crime Lab Report: An Anthology on Forensic Science in the Era of Criminal Justice Reform.

Film director and producer Shawn Rech also went on to co produce a documentary on this example of innocence fraud and in a June 2015 article called A Murder in the Park’: The Innocence Project That Wasn’t Shawn Rech stated;

..a little bit of digging would have shown any objective observer that the police conducted a clinical, textbook investigation

Shawn Rech

Following actual, factual, guilty killer and innocence fraudster Anthony Porter’s stay of execution Shawn Rech also stated;

This gave a team of Northwestern University journalism undergrads and their crusading professor David Protess, who taught investigative reporting at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and founded the Medill Innocence Project, enough time to re-investigate the case.

What the Northwestern team quickly achieved was nothing short of a miracle.

They found new witnesses, secured an affidavit from an original witness changing his story, and confronted the “real killer,” Alstory Simon, even securing his videotaped confession.

Chicago watched it unfold on the local news.

Every few days there was a new development as Team Northwestern exposed the ineptitude—or worse—of the Chicago Police Department and local prosecutors

By Shawn Rech from an article headed ‘A Murder in the Park’: The Innocence Project That Wasn’t dated June 2015

Link to Part 19b here