• Karma: Nirvana

Topic: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

The formal part of the interview has now been completed. Please (This post contains a very exciting link, image or video but you must log in or register to see it) to go straight to it on page 2 of this topic or continue reading the introduction and opening discussion below

This is the first in what will hopefully be a series of interviews with significant Roytoners. I'm very pleased to welcome Susan May to the forums to be the first person to make herself available for questions.

I'll give you a quick introduction to Susan and provide you with some links to read up on her story to help you think of some questions. There will be little or no censoring of questions so please don't think that you have to only ask easy questions.

INTRODUCTION
On the 12 March 1992 at 9.30 am Susan went, as she did every morning, to check that her aunt Hilda was out of bed, and to give her her lunch. On going into the house she found her aunt dead on her bed in the downstairs room, viciously beaten about the head and face, with the lower parts of her body uncovered. A burglar had ransacked the house, tipping out drawers and cupboards. 18 days later, Susan was arrested for the murder. 80 local people immediately volunteered character references to her kind and caring nature. Susan was convicted of murdering her Aunt , spent 12 years in prison and was then released in 2005 despite maintaining her innocence. She continues to fight to clear her name.

http://www.susanmay.co.uk/img/050426-chron-frontpage.jpg

Some useful links:

Get familiar with the case here
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Read a list of evidence that the original trial jury did not hear (a must read):
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There are 97 MPs and Lords who have expressed concern at the safety of Susan's convictioned. See who they are here:
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Read what 58 of Susan's friends think of the possibility that she could have murdered her Aunt Hilda:
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Read Susan's blog (started in 2002)
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Read/Sign Susan's online petition currently containing almost 800 signatures
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  • Karma: 100

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

1.) According to several news sources the following points are raised:

Scott Lomax wrote:

It is of importance to discuss Susan's known movements on the evening and night of 11 March. On this day Hilda had made multiple telephone calls to discuss her concerns regarding her front door key, which she could not find. Hilda had been unable to find the keys due to her poor sight. After Susan's mother had gone to bed, at around 20:30, she decided to pay her aunt a visit. The journey of just less than one mile, which was made in Susan's mini, would have taken approximately five minutes. Susan claimed that she left her own home at around 21:00.

According to her statement, Susan stayed with her aunt for approximately ten minutes. The door keys had been found beside the front door, where Susan liked to keep them. Hilda had a habit of keeping her keys in the front door lock.

Appeal 2001 wrote:

....,[Susan] pointed out that the absence of any sign of forcible entry may be explained by her aunt having left the door unlocked, which, according to the appellant, was something that from to time she did do.

According to these articles, the reason why no signs of forcible entry were present was because Hilda sometimes didn't lock the doors.  However on the night in question she was concerned that she couldn't find her keys (to presumably lock up).

Also, if Susan went round after Hilda had gone to bed then surely the last person to lock the doors and secure the property would have been Susan.  They wouldn't have been accidentally left unlocked by Hilda during the day.

Someone who thinks logically, provides a nice contrast to the real world.
  • Karma: 100

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

2.)

Scott Lomax wrote:

At some stage after around 01:00 a witness observed a dark red car, within which were three individuals, cruising around the vicinity of the crime scene. A second witness, Hilda Marchbank's next door neighbour, also observed a red car at between 01:00 and 01:30. He reported that no one was inside the vehicle, which was parked outside Marchbank's house, although its engine was running and he could hear voices. The vehicle was stationary for fifteen minutes before being driven away.

It is claimed that this car may have contained the burglars - however, I have never heard of a burglar park outside the house they were robbing, leaving both the engine and lights on whilst inside the house.  A burglar would surely have parked around the corner or walked to the property, not attract attention like this.

Someone who thinks logically, provides a nice contrast to the real world.

4 Reply by FWB

  • FWB

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

the_dark_side wrote:

Also, if Susan went round after Hilda had gone to bed then surely the last person to lock the doors and secure the property would have been Susan.  They wouldn't have been accidentally left unlocked by Hilda during the day.

I think you're getting confused here pal, it says Susan's mother had gone to bed, not her Aunt Hilda who may well have still been awake when Susan left.

5 Reply by Moj

  • Karma: 1

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

The red car is very significant and was seen by a number of people.  A known burglar who preyed on elderly people had a similar car and sold it days after Aunty was murdered...plus his Father actually named him as the murderer, but none of this evidence was discovered until after the trial.  It was Aunties front door keys that she had misplaced and sadly she had a habit of not locking her back door...... I only wished I had checked that when I left her that night!!

  • Karma: Nirvana

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Hi Sue (Moj)
Thanks for logging on. Looks like you mastered making new posts now!

I have never heard of a burglar park outside the house they were robbing, leaving both the engine and lights on whilst inside the house

I don't really think burglars are well-known for making intelligent decisions. One left his mobile phone and torch in my car a couple of weeks ago after he stole some items from my boot, lol.

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  • Karma: 100

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

In all fairness though, it's one thing for a phone or torch to drop out of your pocket whilst you're robbing a car in a hurry but surely if you're a known burglar and you're known to have a certain type of car and you leave it outside a house for fifteen minutes then that's taking limited intelligence to the extreme? That aside, I can't understand why, if a few people saw it and thought it was suspicious, nobody seems to have taken the reg? Is this the case? This isn't having a pop at Susan, by the way, it's just an observation in what is certainly an interesting case. Isn't there a programme coming up next month about it?

Nur tote Fische schwimmen mit dem Strom/Nobody's poodle

8 Reply by Moj

  • Karma: 1

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

The programe will be shown on 30 March 10p.m...on Sky 531 and also Virgin TV 237.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I can only presume that those who saw the car came forward after hearing of Aunties murder.  Despite not actually taking note of the full number plate, they all recognised certain peculiarities to the car...and these matched the car sold days after the murder. 

However, once the police targeted me and I was arrested, they neglected to follow up crucial evidence re this car, to the extent of not passing information over to the defence pre trial!! In fact it has been down to members of my support group who have relentlessly searched for further evidence to uncover a very important fact that only came to light fairly recently! 16 years have gone by and still we are finding unknown pieces of evidence!

I also know for certain that there are people locally, as far as Rochdale!! who know more about the murder of Aunty. I still pray they will eventually have the courage to come forward.

  • Karma: Queen

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

I praise you for your courage in coming on a public forum such as this Susan. 
                                                                                             http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/Jetties/SMILEies%202/confuzzled.gif

        It must take a great deal of energy to be prepared to handle all the possible questions
        and responses that you may have to face  -  although nothing could be as daunting 
        as the amount of time spent away from your family whilst you were incarcerated.

        I wish you well  default/smile  and hope that you manage to eventually gain some inner peace.

Stay safe my friend   ♥  at all times
  • Karma: Nirvana

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Hi Sue
Here's a very broad question for you.... (and possibly one you've been asked hundreds of times)

What do you see as the main points that prove your innocence? What do you tell people who only have a passing familiarity with your case to demonstrate that you have been wrongly convicted?

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11 Reply by nola

  • Karma: Confused

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Citizen Smith wrote:

surely if you're a known burglar and you're known to have a certain type of car and you leave it outside a house for fifteen minutes then that's taking limited intelligence to the extreme? That aside, I can't understand why, if a few people saw it and thought it was suspicious, nobody seems to have taken the reg? Is this the case?

As I understand it, it was not so much that the burglar was known for having a certain type of car, it was that witnesses separately described the car's noise and slanted bumper.
There are times when I thought afterwards that I should have taken a car number, or thought at the time but couldn't see it properly.
In fact, one of the witnesses did tell the police about the car he saw, but nothing was done with his information.

Really called Janet
  • Karma: Nirvana

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Interview Format update:
Susan will hopefully continue to add replies/comments to this topic today (if necessary) and then tomorrow she will look through the entire topic and write one big post that deals with everything we have discussed. She will then be given the opportunity to make a general statement about her case/story. That will be tomorrow morning hopefully. The topic will stay open after then and it will run its own course (in a non-sticky kind of way).

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13 Reply by Moj

  • Karma: 1

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

It is very difficult for anyone who has no knowledge of the criminal justice system to realise the difficulties which arise once a conviction is secured. There are certain and rigid criteria which have to be followed in order to get to the Court of Appeal. It has to be NEW evidence.  In my case alot of evidence was never put before my jury because my original legal team told me I did not need to have defence expert witnesses!! I trusted them and therefore evidence which was available pre-trial, but NOT used is not classed as 'new' evidence for future appeals!! So to answer the question what proves my innocence - just look at the evidence I have, much of which anyone can access on my website. If  all this was to be put before a jury now I am convinced they would see I am Innocent. The problem lies with getting it before the Court of Appeal!! Only if you have gone through what I have would you fully understand how much red tape and bureacracy surrounds the legal system.  My case went wrong at the very beginning. I should have had a proper criminal solicitor because my defence at trial was abysmal and has definately hampered my progress of proving my innocence.

  • Karma: 0

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Anyone got any opinions on this newspaper article - it is rather old so things may have changed since - it evens mentions Mr Goodwin (senior)!:

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15 Reply by chopper

  • chopper

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Nice research Jeeves!

  • Karma: 0

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

chopper wrote:

Nice research Jeeves!

Just Ask default/wink

  • Karma: Nirvana

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

So what kerr is saying is that Susan's conviction is safe because he believes the DNA evidence is (a) reliable and (b) significant enough to make Susan the murderer. I imagine Susan will want to comment on this tomorrow.

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18 Reply by EJay

  • Karma: Queen

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY


It is very difficult for anyone who has no knowledge of the criminal justice system to realise the difficulties
which arise once a conviction is secured. There are certain and rigid criteria which have to be followed in order
to get to the Court of Appeal.   It has to be NEW evidence.  In my case, a lot of evidence was never put before
my jury because my original legal team told me I did not need to have defence expert witnesses!!

I trusted them and therefore evidence which was available pre-trial,  but NOT used is not classed
as 'new' evidence for future appeals!!  So to answer the question what proves my innocence
- just look at the evidence I have,  much of which anyone can access on my website.

If all this was to be put before a jury now, I am convinced they would see I am Innocent.

The problem lies with getting it before the Court of Appeal!!  Only if you have gone through what I
have would you fully understand how much red tape and bureaucracy surrounds the legal system. 

My case went wrong at the very beginning.   I should have had a proper criminal solicitor because
my defence at trial was abysmal and has definitely hampered my progress of proving my innocence.



You have said everything about your `Defence` that I thought but haven't voiced previously Susan
- purely because I didn't know enough about your situation to have ever been able to pass comment

        Really appreciate you coming on here and opening up like this   default/smile

My heart goes out to you and your family - and I wish you well in your appeal

Stay safe my friend   ♥  at all times

19 Reply by Moj

  • Karma: 1

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Let me tell you Retired Supt Kerr has to be worried if ever my conviction is overturned because only then can it be shown the tactics used to 'set me up'!!! I could go on at length about 2 officers in my case but I do not wish this to become a 'slanging' match. I really do not know how some people sleep at night.

  • Karma: Exempt

Re: eRoyton Interview #1 - Susan May - THIS FRIDAY

Moj wrote:

Let me tell you Retired Supt Kerr has to be worried if ever my conviction is overturned because only then can it be shown the tactics used to 'set me up'!!! I could go on at length about 2 officers in my case but I do not wish this to become a 'slanging' match. I really do not know how some people sleep at night.

Susan there is something seriously wrong with the police in Oldham are you aware they known as the laziest force in Greater Manchester default/sad

"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born."