Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation
BBC ONE, 9.00PM
Twenty-five years ago, 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death at a bus stop in Eltham, south London, by a gang of six white youths in an unprovoked attack. The murder sent shock waves through British society – not least for the battle that Stephen’s parents faced to overcome failings in the Metropolitan Police investigation that left the killers free for years, and the subsequent conclusion of a public inquiry, led by judge William Macpherson, that the force was institutionally racist. This absorbing three-part documentary – showing on consecutive nights this week – from film-makers James Rogan, Asif Kapadia and James Gay-rees (the last two Oscar winners for their documentary about the late Amy Winehouse) sifts through the history and legacy of Britain’s most notorious racially motivated murder.
Tonight’s opening part focuses on the run-up to Stephen’s murder and the initial investigation, during which his parents Doreen and Neville remained baffled as to why no arrests were made. Contributors include them, Stephen’s friend and witness to the murder Duwayne Brooks, and former Met commissioner Paul Condon.
Gerard O’donovan