The appeal hearing for two men convicted in the murder of British teacher Lauren Patterson stalled yesterday as a defense lawyer continued to press the judge to summon more witnesses.
After a lengthy deliberation behind closed doors, the judge agreed to have the court officially request the appearance of Patterson’s ex-boyfriend, as well as a female friend who was with Patterson the night she died, at the next hearing.
Defense attorneys representing the two convicted men have repeatedly attempted to draw Patterson’s ex-boyfriend into the trial without offering any explanation as to how he may be connected to the 24-year-old woman’s death.
In addition to requesting the ex-boyfriend’s presence in court, the defense lawyer asked for records showing SMS and WhatsApp messages between the man and Patterson to illustrate the kindergarten teacher’s “emotional and psychological state” at the time.
Previous defense lawyers have tried to argue that one of the men convicted in Patterson’s murder tried to call her ex-boyfriend the night she was killed, but that the calls weren’t captured in phone records because the man’s mobile phone was switched off.
That theory has never been proven, and prosecutors have previously argued that it would be irrelevant even if true.
Friend’s testimony
The other witness was a friend of Patterson who previously testified during the criminal trial in January that ended with the conviction of two men in connection with Patterson’s death.
Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabar was sentenced to death for the woman’s murder, while his friend, Mohamed Abdallah Hassan Abdul Aziz, was sentenced to three years in prison for helping Al-Jabar burn Patterson’s body as well as damaging and erasing evidence.
Patterson’s female friend testified that she, Patterson and the two men left La Cigale Hotel around 3:30am on Oct. 12, after having some drinks. Responding to questions, she firmly said Patterson was not drunk, and aware of her surroundings.
The two men dropped the friend off and promised to take Patterson home.
Instead, the men were alleged to have taken the woman to a house that al-Jabar used for sexual trysts with women, where he “conquered her body” and killed her by stabbing her twice.
Shortly after being arrested, al-Jabar told investigators that he and Patterson had consensual sex before she flew into a rage and attacked him with a knife that eventually pierced her body during a scuffle. Defense lawyers would later argue in court that Patterson fell on the knife.
Her smoldering remains were found in the desert outside of Doha, shortly after she had gone missing.
‘Delaying tactic’
While the criminal trial of al-Jabar and Abdul Aziz came to a speedy conclusion some five months after Patterson’s death, the appeal hearing is about to enter its ninth month.
Patterson’s mother, Alison, comes to Qatar from the UK to attend each session and told Doha News that she found the recent lack of progress is distressing.
“I feel emotionally drained and saddened that this is happening, when before things were progressing. I now feel this is a delaying tactic by the defense…
Each time I come here it takes its toll on myself and my children friends and family – but it also makes me more resolute to attend every hearing until justice finally prevails for Lauren.”
The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18.
Thoughts?
I’m not sure of the case in Qatar but usually an appeal is only allowed if there is substantial new evidence that has come to light that could possible and significantly altered the original verdict. It seems to me the new defence lawyer has not offered any new evidence and is just messing about. Why the judge has not just thrown this out and upheld the original verdict I just don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t know what he is doing either and is just waiting for his Xmas dinner and mulled wine.
in cases where someone is given a death sentence appeal is pretty much guaranteed here
I agree on that, especially if the death penalty is given but this defence is pathetic. There has to be some basis to the appeal, if not the judge should tell them to get on with it or cut it short.
On another subject of murder, amazing that an expat was given the death sentence by a firing squad without appeal, if i am correct & this case was wrapped up in 5-months, sad that Lauren was not a local otherwise this case would have been done & dusted in quick time. Does say something about the support for locals as opposed to expats, who are also human beings & deserve equality of the Qatar law..
And so it should be, the justice system is not infallible (anywhere in the world).
What you are saying is completely untrue regarding appellate procedure.
Where did you get your legal training to say an appeal is only allowed to submited if there is substantial new evidence? An appeal is a right in almost all jurisdictions except in Supreme Courts where it is a matter of discretion.
There are different types of appeals and MOST do not allow for new evidence to be presented* since it is a either a review of a legal argument or done with no reference to the previous decision.
Please stop commenting on every article with self-professed knowledge, it’s irresponsible and you’re out of your depth.
*unless substantial, overlooked or improperly used in the trial whereby final decision rests with the judge.
I think MIMH is referencing the US and UK justice systems where an appeal is indeed only allowed if new evidence is presented that is substantial and throws doubt on the initial judgement, or where the due process has not been followed. If in the view of a judge the new evidence wouldn’t affect the initial judgement then the appeal would be disallowed. There is no “review” of the initial verdict simply for the sake of review. It’s hard to form a view of what the new defence argument is when it’s received second-hand from Doha News, but the fact is that what I’ve read on this appeal to date doesn’t convince me that it’s anything but a very thin attempt to shift the blame onto a girl who was murdered and who’s body was then destroyed with fire by the murderer to conceal the evidence. Would an innocent man do that? My heart goes out to her mother and her family who being westerners will struggle to understand why more misery is being heaped on her and her family.
“USand UK justice systems where an appeal is indeed only allowed if new evidence is presented that is substantial and throws doubt on the initial judgement, or where the due process has not been followed.”
No, that is factually incorrect. In the US justice system, appeals will rarely allow new evidence to be introduced. In CP trials, there is a stage where this can happen but that is much further down in the appeals process and discretionary. There is a review of the trial proceedings and a lookout for different classifications of errors that could affect the initial judgement.
In the matter of any capital punishment trial in the United States criminal justice system, a direct appeal is given to any verdict where the defendant is found guilty to the highest court in the state. Even upon loss of this appeal it can be moved to other circuits.
In matters of the death penalty, cases can regularly spend over a decade in appellate courts, as there needs to be a significant burden for a state to commit to capital punishment. Trials that hold such punishments have significant emotions attached to them, but it does not supersede the defendants the rights to trial, including appeals.
I’m sorry you must have legal training in every jurisdiction to profess such knowledge. I don’t have any but then again I never said I was an expert.
In some countries if the death penalty is given an appeal is automatic. (Of course you want to make sure you get that one right as you can’t bring the dead back)
In some countries of course appeals are not automatically granted. You can put in for an appeal and that is reviewed to see if it had any merit. An appeal for an appeals sake with no significant new material is a waste of time, money and delays justice for the victim. An example of where an appeal is not allowed would be in a rape case, where they is no new evidence but the convicted rapist just wants to put their victim through more torment for their amusement.
I’m guessing by your comments you are American and I am surprised you do not support freedom of speech. With the hypocrisy of tortute now by the U.S. I guess I should not be surprised.
You have still no idea what you are talking about, and I won’t reason with you on legal theory.
In regards to freedom of speech, you should be aware that it does not include provisions for defamation, which you are bordering when you publish in an open forum that an honorable judge does not know what he is doing and is instead anticipating the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
I’m not sure how me being American changes the fact that you are stating factually incorrect legal information about an ongoing trial. If you’re referencing the first amendment, it protects you from the government, not from people calling you out on your BS.
If he tried to sue me for defamation I just wouldn’t turn up for court, that’s how it works here doesn’t it?
I’m not a legal expert but I don’t think criticism can be levelled at me by an American on legal matters. America has lost the moral high ground by detaining suspects without charge, torturing them and the summary execution of unarmed black men.
Oh absolutely not, criticism is being leveled on you because you speak of things you have little to no knowledge of!
What moral high ground are you speaking about? This is a legal jurisprudence matter we are discussing, and you resorting to criticizing the country I hail from and sidetracking this into a discussion about American domestic policy, in desperate attempt to make your television show legal aptitude seem relevant.
Stick to giving your opinion about the traffic and Xmas decorations, you won’t have to reach as far to get upvotes haha 😉
I was driving around Doha earlier wondering what that burning smell was….
The reason the call doesn’t show up is that it was never ever made. It matters not that the intended recipient of the call had his phone off, the call is still registered in Call Charge Records of the originating phone but with no connect. I wonder if they even got the records of which towers the phone were pinging off to track the movements on the night of the accused, victim, suspects and witnesses. Even these basic investigative process is lost in Qatar. But hey they can’t pull over a driver who is on a mission to kill everyone else, so what does one expect?