Liverpool FC Forum

[Leonmc0708]

There's a critical meeting taking place with Bulgarians soon with a view to either a pardon or re-opening the case in light of new evidence, and Michael's family are, obviously, keen to have as much ammunition as possible when presenting their case. so if you haven't already signed the petition please do so now.

Please click the link below and help clear his name.


http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/MichaelCShields

The petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to recognise the deep concerns people have about the safety of the conviction of Michael Shields for a crime committed in Bulgaria. We call on the Prime Minister and his Government to do all they can to assist in persuading the Bulgarian Government to re-open the case and for them to look at new and existing evidence.

Further the Prime Minister is called upon to ask the Bulgarian
Authorities through Interpol to ask for further investigations
to be carried out by Merseyside Police by interviewing those
who have provided new and additional information supporting
Michael Shields claim to be innocent of the assault on
Bulgarian Waiter Martin Georgiev.

Michael Shields was convicted of a crime he claims he did not
commit. Evidence was not allowed to be heard in the Bulgarian Court which included evidence from people who confirmed that Michael was indeed in his bed. Other evidence was not allowed during an appeal because it was deemed to be too late,because it was not heard in the original trial. This evidence and that of new witnesses needs to be taken into account.

Michael Shields is now in a UK Prison and has served nearly two years in May 2007 for a crime someone else has owned
up to. This Government should do all it possibly can to
persuade the Bulgarians to re-open this case and examine
thoroughly all the evidence that exists.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Please if you havent already put your name to the petition.

Thanks

[kidder]

Signed Matey.

[Owzat]

Also please e-mail it around, some people may only have access at work and only so many will visit a site that has the link or even be aware of it

[Toffeehater]

sorry not really from around there i will sign it but can some1 explain the whole story to me here. Its horrible when someone gets convicted for a crime he did not do ..
I guess like they say justice is blind

[Leonmc0708]

Bulgarians: It’s up to Britain if it wants to free Michael Shields

Nov 13 2007 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

THE BULGARIAN government today hinted it would not object if the UK decided to pardon Michael Shields and set him free.

President Georgi Parvanov made the admission in a letter to campaigners fighting for the release of the jailed 21-year-old.

It could prompt the British government to consider a pardon on the basis that student Michael, from Edge Hill, suffered a miscarriage of justice in Bulgaria when he was convicted of attempted murder.

City Labour leader Joe Anderson, who received the letter, hailed it as a major breakthrough in his campaign to win Liverpool fan Michael’s freedom.

Now Cllr Anderson hopes a dossier of new evidence which proves Michael’s innocence will finally be considered by the Foreign Office.

He said: “We hear what the Bulgarians are saying and that our country can commute or pardon the sentence.

“There is new evidence that Michael has been wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit.

“The government has to accept that if this was a case tried under British law Michael would have been released by now.

“And it could be argued he never would have been convicted.

“Our government must do the honourable thing and pardon Michael.”

The letter on behalf of President Parvanov, signed by his top legal advisor Saho Penov, emphasises the UK and Bulgaria are both signatories of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

It says: “Michael Shields’ problems might also be solved by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom.

“We have in mind the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (article 12) which stipulates each party to this convention may grant pardon, amnesty or commutation of the sentence in accordance with its constitution or other laws.

‘The practices and legislation in the UK are familiar with the mechanisms for conditional discharge of sentenced persons, including their release on humanitarian grounds.”

Euro MP Arlene McCarthy, who is also campaigning for Michael’s freedom, is set to meet with President Parvanov for further talks in the next few weeks.

She said: “It has been our objective to seek the pardon of Michael and I don’t mind who does it – whether it’s the Bulgarians or the British government.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office today said all legal representations would be considered.

In September Michael was moved to an adult prison for the first time in the UK.

Michael was arrested in Bulgaria as he returned from Liverpool's champions league victory in Istanbul.

The Bulgarian courts refused to accept alibi evidence and a confession, later retracted, by fellow Reds fan Graham Sankey.

The letter from the Bulgarians

'Michael Shields' problems might also be solved by the competent authorities in the United Kingdom.

'We have in mind the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (article 12) which stipulates each party to this convention may grant pardon, amnesty or commutation of the sentence in accordance with its constitution or other laws...'

TO SIGN an online petition appealing to the government to free Michael go to http://www.michaelshieldspetition.co.uk/

The petition, which already has nearly 16,000 signatures, calls for the prime minister to “recognise the deep concerns people have about the safety of the conviction of Michael Shields”.

[112-1077774096]

a pardon would be fantastic, but sadly a pardon is not an admittance they got it wrong, he would still have the stigma of the conviction.

after he gets the pardon and gets released he still needs to fight to get the conviction overturned, and i hope he continues that fight.

I am wondering if this has something to do with them wanting to join the E.U. we should always object agaisnt their inclusion.

[Kharhaz]

Signed, Paul Clark.

[hello_red]

Signed.

Its a disgrace that as soon as he was arrsted the British goverment did not take over the legal proceedings.

[Leonmc0708]

Michael Shields to take lie detector test
Nov 15 2007
EXCLUSIVE by Greg O'Keeffe & Ian Hernon, Liverpool Echo

THE Home Office has agreed to let jailed Liverpool FC fan Michael Shields take a lie detector test in his Lancashire prison.

The decision could be crucial in the engineering student’s long battle to prove his innocence and win a pardon.

A deal was brokered behind the scenes by Riverside MP Louise Ellman during discussions with ministers and the prison service on behalf of the Shields family.

She said today: “Michael has always wanted this chance to show conclusively that he is innocent and the victim of a grave miscarriage of justice.

“The campaign to secure a pardon from either Bulgaria or the UK will continue and this could help although there are complicated issues involved.”


Michael, now 21 and from Edge Hill, was convicted of the attempted murder of a Bulgarian barman while on his way home from Liverpool’s Champions League victory in Istanbul.


Despite alibi evidence he was found guilty and a signed confession by fellow fan Graham Sankey was later retracted,


Earlier this year he returned to Britain to complete his sentence and last month both he and his family asked for a polygraph.


The Home Office officials have now told Mrs Ellman they have no objections, provided there are no security problems at Garth Prison, Leyland, where he is being held.


Prison governor Dave Savage has given the go-ahead.


He now needs written authorisation from Michael himself – which will be sorted within days.


In a letter to Mrs Ellman he said: “We would agree in principle to allowing Michael to undertake the polygraph test but only with his written consent.


“Unfortunately we cannot permit a film crew or cameras into the establishment whilst the tests are being completed.


“The polygraph expert would need security clearance prior to being allowed into the establishment.”


Meanwhile Mrs Ellman has agreed to give justice minister David Hanson and Foreign Office minister Jim Murphy a comprehensive legal dossier covering in chronological detail Michael’s treatment at the hands of the Bulgarian police and courts.


And this week the Bulgarian authorities hinted they would not object if the UK decided to pardon Michael.

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[Ola Mr Benitez]

about bloody time, I can see MIchael being back at Anfield before the end of the season...

[Owzat]

He should get out and sue the Bulgarian government for denying him basic human rights (to a fair trial)

[dawson99]

latest news:

New 'evidence' over Shields case 

The 21-year-old was moved to an adult prison last month
The MP for Liverpool's Riverside claims to have dramatic new evidence which casts doubt on the conviction of jailed football fan Michael Shields.
The 21-year-old is currently serving a 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria in 2005.

Louise Ellman said in a parliamentary debate that she had a new witness statement that claimed two other people were responsible for the attack.

Ms Ellman called for a judicial investigation into the case.

Michael Shields was moved to a UK prison from Bulgaria last year.

The witness statement named Steven Clare and Graham Sankey as the attackers.

A large rock or paving slab was dropped on the head of barman Martin Georgiev on the night of Liverpool's Champions League victory in Istanbul in May 2005.

  Both men made it clear that Michael Shields was not present at the scene

Witness statement

The Labour MP said: "On October 12, a respected citizen of Liverpool signed a witness statement.

"This reports that Bradley Thomson and Anthony Wilson, both present at the scene of the crime and found guilty of lesser offences, claim that two men were responsible for the attack on Martin Georgiev.

"According to the statement, they allege that Steven Clare had punched Martin Georgiev and that, 'Shortly afterwards Graham Sankey dropped a large rock on his head as he lay prone on the ground'.

"The statement continues: 'Both men made it clear that Michael Shields was not present at the scene and that neither of them knew him'."

'Judicial investigation'

Mr Sankey issued a "confession" through his solicitor after Shields had been convicted but then withdrew it.

Ms Ellman said: "Surely these allegations must be subject to judicial investigation. I will not rest until justice has been done."

Justice Minister David Hanson said he did not want to give false hope by saying the British Government could grant a pardon for Shields when he was not sure that was the case.

Mr Hanson added that a decision on whether to support Shields' application for a pardon in Bulgaria rests with Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

"Both he and his officials are aware of Michael's application to the Bulgarian authorities and they are awaiting further information," he said.




how the f*ck is this lad still in prison?

[Owzat]

Surely there was so little evidence that he did it and plenty to show he didn't that this should be thrown out of court retrospectively as a 'scapegoat' conviction.

[destro]

Is it today he has the Polygraph test ?

Edit- He passed it

[Rafa D]

Happy Christmas Mike.

Hope he is out soon.