Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Stone watches TV probe as new doubts are raised over murders
Man convicted of 1996 Russell killings still maintaining his innocence
A major BBC documentary broadcast this week casts fresh doubt on the conviction of hammer killer Michael Stone.
Stone was convicted of murdering Lin Russell and her daughter Megan near Canterbury more than 20 years ago and leaving nine-year-old Josie Russell for dead in an isolated country lane.
This week Stone, 58, watched the hour-long programme called The Chillenden Murders from his prison cell and saw a panel of criminal justice experts pore over the evidence which twice convicted him.
The killer, who has always protested his innocence, was interviewed by programme makers via telephone. He said: “I never murdered them people. I had nothing to do with it. I don’t know who done it, but I had no involvement. That’s why I’m innocent.”
Stone was convicted at two separate trials – the second called after a prosecution witness recanted his evidence. Both convictions, however, rested on circumstantial evidence and witness accounts which placed a man resembling Stone clutching a claw hammer in Chillenden on July 9, 1996.
Forensic scientist Georgina Meakin told the two-part documentary that no forensic evidence existed linking Stone to two key pieces of evidence recovered from the scene – a black bootlace and bloodstained string bag which belonged to Lin Russell.
Despite one of the biggest manhunts in British criminal history no arrests were made for a year.
But after a tip-off following a Crimewatch appeal on the first anniversary of the murders, Stone was arrested at his home in Skin- ner Street, Gillingham. Then a 37-year-old heroin addict, he had previous convictions for violence and robbery.
He was convicted of the murders in 1998 and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum tariff of 25 years. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial in 2001 after a witness recanted, but Stone was convicted again later that year.
In December 2011, his application for the case to be referred back to the Court of Appeal was rejected. His sister Barbara Stone, who has consistently fought for his release, said of the programme: “Mick was really looking forward to seeing it. He has seen the trailers but not the actual programme. It was a chance for him to have his say.”
BBC2’S listing for the second part of The Chillenden Murders says it will focus on Stone’s retrial and his alleged prison confession. It will also suggest another possible suspect for the murders. Some experts have suggested that Levi Bellfield, who killed three females including schoolgirl Milly Dowler, may be responsible.
The second part of programme, produced by Minnow Films, will air at 9pm on Tuesday.