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George not guilty of Dando murder | George not guilty of Dando murder |
(10 minutes later) | |
Barry George has been found not guilty of murdering BBC television presenter Jill Dando outside her London home. | Barry George has been found not guilty of murdering BBC television presenter Jill Dando outside her London home. |
Mr George, 48, of Fulham, west London, denied shooting 37-year-old Miss Dando on her doorstep on 26 April 1999. | Mr George, 48, of Fulham, west London, denied shooting 37-year-old Miss Dando on her doorstep on 26 April 1999. |
He was retried at the Old Bailey, having first faced trial for the killing in 2001. | He was retried at the Old Bailey, having first faced trial for the killing in 2001. |
His defence argued he was not capable of carrying out what could be seen as the "perfect crime" that required "meticulous" planning. | His defence argued he was not capable of carrying out what could be seen as the "perfect crime" that required "meticulous" planning. |
Mr George has consistently insisted he did not murder Jill Dando. | Mr George has consistently insisted he did not murder Jill Dando. |
He was arrested on 15 May 2000, a year after the shooting. | He was arrested on 15 May 2000, a year after the shooting. |
Forensic evidence about a tiny speck of gun residue in Barry George's coat helped secure his original conviction but was not permitted in the retrial. | Forensic evidence about a tiny speck of gun residue in Barry George's coat helped secure his original conviction but was not permitted in the retrial. |
Extracts from Barry George police interviews. | |
The jury of eight women and four men were sent out to deliberate on Wednesday after an eight-week trial. | The jury of eight women and four men were sent out to deliberate on Wednesday after an eight-week trial. |
Mr George showed no reaction as the verdict was read out. He nodded as psychiatrist Dr Susan Young, who sat with him in the dock during trial, whispered to him. | Mr George showed no reaction as the verdict was read out. He nodded as psychiatrist Dr Susan Young, who sat with him in the dock during trial, whispered to him. |
He is expected to be released later and walk free from the Old Bailey after spending eight years in prison. | He is expected to be released later and walk free from the Old Bailey after spending eight years in prison. |
The Crown Prosecution Service defended its original decision to bring the case. | |
In a statement it said: "Mr George now has the right to be regarded as an innocent man. But that does not mean it was wrong to bring the case. | |
"Our test is always whether there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction; it would be wholly wrong only to bring cases where we were guaranteed a conviction." |