The murder of 14 year-old schoolgirl Jodi Jones near Edinburgh on 30 June 2003

[mike tesko]

If I had access to the case files, I would be able to sort this matter out to everyone's satisfaction. If police acted unlawfully, and corruptly, there is no one better positioned, with personal experience involving police corruption than myself. I have been involved in many cases where a convicted person has claimed, they were framed by the police, or some person or other, but sadly after my own investigation, this has not proved to have been factual. In this particular case, there are claims that Luke Mitchell has been convicted on a reliance of circumstantial evidence, and that his brother Shane Mitchell, was rail roaded into torpedoing his younger brothers alibi...

Where does the truth lay?

[Stephanie]

Yes, agreed. His treatment at the hands of the police makes it difficult to fully rely on any of his statements and, for me, excuses a lot of the issues with this alibi. But what he says on the stand, even though it's high pressure and humiliating, is presumably the truth and it's not a great alibi, is it? "He could have been in." I for one would appreciate his evidence verbatim if you do find those notes.

Did Luke mention Shane being in in his statements? I know that article says that Luke said he ate with his Mother but did he mention Shane eating upstairs? What are Shane's movements after dinner? If the clothes burning happened would he have been in to see it?

I think we should also remember that his Mother's alibi was never disproved. And while I can see a Mum willing to give a false alibi to protect a child, surely not even a Mum would for a crime this gruesome. Maybe I'm wrong.

With regards the prosecutions theory about the clothes being burnt in the wood burner - this was a maybe, it was circumstantial - it was up to the jury to decide.

And I believe you are wrong about your assumption that a Mum would not give a false alibi to protect a child for a gruesome crime like this.

[mike tesko]

Clothes being destroyed in the family owned burner, may just have easily been attributed to the older brother Shane, than to young Luke Mitchell. Where is the evidence to distinguish, one from the other, or doesn't anybody know?

[mike tesko]

If Luke ate with his mother downstairs, and she confirmed this as being true, and depending upon the time of Jodie's death, Luke surely had a sound alibi. It is irrelevant that his brother has no recollection of seeing him, particularly if Shane ate his tea upstairs, in his own bedroom. Who cooked tea? If Lukes mother confirmed Luke had prepared and cooked tea, irrespective of Shane eating his, upstairs in the bedroom, Shane would presumably have not been in a position to say who had prepared or cooked the tea, he ate...

[mike tesko]

If Luke ate with his mother downstairs, and she confirmed this as being true, and depending upon the time of Jodie's death, Luke surely had a sound alibi. It is irrelevant that his brother has no recollection of seeing him, particularly if Shane ate his tea upstairs, in his own bedroom. Who cooked tea? If Lukes mother confirmed Luke had prepared and cooked tea, irrespective of Shane eating his, upstairs in the bedroom, Shane would presumably have not been in a position to say who had prepared or cooked the tea, he ate...

If Luke had prepared or cooked tea, which Shane ate, the eating of the tea by Shane surely provided Luke with an alibi, depending upon the time Shane ate his tea in his bedroom, as compared to the time the victim was killed...

[mike tesko]

If Luke had prepared or cooked tea, which Shane ate, the eating of the tea by Shane surely provided Luke with an alibi, depending upon the time Shane ate his tea in his bedroom, as compared to the time the victim was killed...

So, what time did Shane say he ate his tea in his bedroom?

[mike tesko]

(1) - http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/466367/FBI-profile-of-Jodi-killer-points-to-wrong-verdict

FBI profile of Jodi killer points to wrong verdict

THE FBI has released its secret profile of the killer of schoolgirl Jodi Jones – but all the details are blanked out, adding to speculation that it did not match Luke Mitchell.

By BOB SMYTH
PUBLISHED: 23:03, Sat, Mar 22, 2014

Jodi’s body was found in woods in Dalkeith, Midlothian, in June 2003, and her boyfriend Mitchell, now 25, was later convicted of the brutal slaying and jailed for at least 20 years.

During the investigation, Lothian and Borders detectives flew out to consult experts at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in Quantico, Virginia.

They produced a report comparing Mitchell with a psychological profile of the killer, compiled using evidence gathered by police in Scotland.

Profilers at the Behavioural Analysis Unit – made famous by many films and TV series – also took into account their experience?of?similar?murders?in the USA.

The analysis of 14-year-old Jodi’s killer was sent to the former force headquarters at Fettes in Edinburgh in January 2004, 11 weeks before Mitchell was charged.

However, despite all the cost and effort that went into acquiring the document, the report was never produced in court or even disclosed to his legal team.

In fact, Scottish police have never confirmed its existence – and it was only released by the FBI following a Freedom of Information request in the USA.

However, most of the findings have been edited out, apart from a few intriguing details.

The eight-page profile includes a section headed Offender Characteristics followed by a Suspect Assessment, which examines the suspect’s “opportunity”, “ability” and “propensity” to commit the crime.

Mitchell’s mother, Corinne, and campaigners trying to free him say they believe the analysis would not have matched the schoolboy, who was 14 at the time of the murder.

Mrs Mitchell said: “I believe the findings would have pointed to a violent adult, not a schoolboy."

The murder is currently unsolved. However, inquiries have polarised on building a circumstantial case against a prime suspect. Deputy Chief Constable Tom Wood, "They would have already come out if they had reflected badly on Luke – in the same way that other things about him that could be spun negatively somehow found their way into the public domain.”

Other documents released by the FBI show that police were already focusing on a prime suspect when they first made contact with US authorities on October 3, 2003.

In a letter to the US Embassy in London, Deputy Chief Constable Tom Wood wrote: “The murder is currently unsolved. However, inquiries have polarised on building a circumstantial case against a prime suspect.”

Seven weeks later, on November 21, police sent a report to the procurator fiscal which reportedly named Mitchell as the killer.

Retired FBI profiler Mark Safarik said: “It seems like the agency should at least release the name of the analyst who did the report.”

Scottish criminologist Professor David Wilson said there is no particular reason why the report should be kept out of the public domain.

He said: “An analysis like this is merely an investigative tool that may help the police to narrow the field of suspects. It’s not hard evidence that can be used in court.”

Mitchell was charged in April 2004 and convicted the following January. He has already failed in an appeal.

His case is now being considered by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC).

Criminologist Dr Sandra Lean, who headed the SCCRC submission, said: “We hope that the Commission will be able to get access to the profile if they feel it is necessary.

“Luke’s lawyers tried to get a copy of it but they didn’t get anywhere. The Crown passed their inquiries on to the FBI, who said they couldn’t release anything to them because the Scottish police were their client.

“It would undoubtedly have been useful for the defence to have seen the profile to determine if they undermined the prosecution case.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Officers will routinely seek assistance from specialists or experts during the course?of?a?serious?criminal investigation.

"Police Scotland will not offer comment on any information gathered during the course of an inquiry or in respect of any individuals.”

[mike tesko]

"a violent adult, not a schoolboy" - I agree with this analysis...

[mike tesko]

(1) - http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/jodi-jones-murder-convicted-killer-2261291

Jodi Jones murder: Convicted killer Luke Mitchell's case reopened to re-examine DNA taken from crime scene

07:57, 9 SEP 2013 UPDATED 13:24, 9 SEP 2013
BY JACK MATHIESON

LUKE, who was 15 at the time of the murder, has made several appeal attempts against his conviction.

Luke Mitchell undergoes a lie detector test in the video posted on YouTubeLuke Mitchell undergoes a lie detector test in the video posted on YouTube

MURDERED schoolgirl Jodi Jones’s mum has been left devastated after learning that her killer Luke Mitchell’s case is to be re-examined.

New forensic tests have been ordered on Jodi’s clothing amid continued claims by her boyfriend Mitchell that he was wrongly convicted of her killing.

The teenager’s mum Judy, 48, was yesterday at her home in Easthouses, Midlothian, close to the murder scene, but was too upset to comment.

A family member speaking on her behalf, understood to be Jodi’s brother Joseph, 29, described the new probe as “an unwelcome development”.

A family source said later: “Poor Judy has had to put up with this for years but to hear the case is being reopened is appalling news.

“How much grief can one woman be expected to put up with?”

The Scottish ­Criminal Cases Review Commission, who probe possible miscarriages of justice, believe advances in DNA ­technology could uncover new crime scene evidence.

The discovery of 14-year-old Jodi’s mutilated body in woodland near her home in June 2003 triggered shock and revulsion across Scotland.

Her hands were tied behind her back, her throat had been slashed and there were further cuts to her cheek, breast, abdomen and forearm.

Mitchell, a fourth-year pupil at St David’s High School in Dalkeith, Midlothian, became the focus of the investigation because Jodi had been going to meet him when she was killed.

The murder trial, which began in 2005, heard there was no direct DNA link between Mitchell and the crime scene and no murder weapon was recovered.

But a jury convicted him after hearing a compelling circumstantial case as well as evidence of Mitchell’s cannabis use and obsession with gothic rock music.

Judge Lord Nimmo Smith told Mitchell, then 16, that “it lies beyond any skill of mine to look into the black depths of your mind”, and ordered him to serve at least 20 years behind bars.

The conviction stands despite a series of appeals by Mitchell’s legal team.

Both Mitchell and his mother Corinne – who said in evidence he had been with her at the time of the murder – reportedly passed lie detector tests last year.

Although scores of samples were examined during the original inquiry, the equipment in use now is more likely to yield a profile from smaller samples which were unable to be identified.

PAMurdered teenager Jodi JonesMurdered teenager Jodi Jones
The SCCRC move is believed to be the first time they have ever commissioned fresh DNA tests.

They will ask the Crown Office for access to several items, which will be sent to an independent lab for analysis.

Mitchell’s lawyers believe they will focus on Jodi’s trousers, which were taken off and used to bind her hands.

Male DNA was found in the knot in the right leg of Jodi’s trousers. There was also DNA on the fly button and zip of the jeans, but none of the samples yielded profiles.

The tests are also likely to look at her T-shirt, underwear and shoes.

Forensic scientist Dr Sue Pope said: “The systems used in 2003 required larger samples than we need now to come back with a profile.

“I would say there is a benefit in retesting samples for DNA in a case where investigators were unable to obtain a profile in the past.”

The SCCRC wrote to Mitchell, now 25, in Shotts Prison to say their committee had ordered the forensic tests.

His mum Corinne said yesterday: “Luke’s DNA was never found on Jodi.

“He has no fears about new tests. He knows his DNA won’t be there. We just hope all the forensics have been retained and properly stored over the years.”

Some Mitchell supporters believe Da Vinci rapist Robert Greens, from Dalkeith, who raped and battered a student visiting Rosslyn chapel in 2005, could be responsible for Jodi’s death.

An SCCRC spokesman said: “Once we have accepted a case for review, we are unable to say more.”

[mike tesko]

(1) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4187007.stm

Killer 'obsessed by occult'

Luke Mitchell denied any involvement in Jodi's death

Luke Mitchell was born in July 1988 and was living in Newbattle Road, Dalkeith, when he began going out with schoolgirl Jodi Jones. Jodi, 14, from Easthouses, Dalkeith, was a pupil at St David's Roman Catholic High School along with Luke.

She had been taking a shortcut along a woodland path to Luke's house on 30 June, 2003 when she was brutally attacked and mutilated by the killer.

Mitchell and Jodi had begun going out in about March 2003.

They saw each other a couple of times a week at first, but before long they were spending time together most nights.

On the evening of 30 June, Jodi had left her family home at about 1700 BST but the alarm was raised later when she failed to get to Mitchell's house or return home.

Jodi Jones was 14 when she was killed in June 2003. Her body was found on the wooded path known as Roan's Dyke at about 2230 BST by Mitchell and members of Jodi's family.

The picture of Mitchell and Jodi which emerged at the trial was one of rebellious teenagers experimenting with drugs, sex and alternative music.

But Mitchell's fascination with the darker side of music and youth culture was also revealed.

The prosecution highlighted his knife-carrying and cannabis smoking, and claimed he had told another teenager that he knew the way "to slit someone's throat".

On the day of the memorial service for Jodi at Gorebridge Parish Church on 3 September, 2003, Mitchell told Sky News he had not killed his girlfriend.

He said: "In all the time we were going out, we never had one argument at all. Never fell out or anything."

Mitchell went on television to deny the murder. Mitchell was arrested the following April and in November 2004 his trial began at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He was charged with repeatedly hitting Jodi, compressing her neck, tying her arms and repeatedly stabbing her before and after she died.

Parallels were drawn in court between Jodi's injuries and death and paintings by Goth rocker Marilyn Manson, one of Mitchell's favourite acts.

The water-colours are based on the death of would-be Hollywood actress Elizabeth Short in 1947.

The pictures of what became known as the Black Dahlia murder showed the woman with massive injuries to her face, breast and torso.

Mitchell's defence dismissed the connection between the two deaths but further evidence of his interest in Manson was brought before the trial.

Jodi's body was found in woods behind a wall. The court heard how Mitchell liked horror films and occasionally read porn magazines and that he had bought the Marilyn Manson DVD The Golden Age of Grotesque two days after Jodi's death.

It included scenes showing two girls tied together near a track and struggling as hoods were placed over their heads.

His fascination with the darker areas of human behaviour was also reflected in his opinions on religion.

His school jotter was covered in Satanic slogans, with the numbers 666 and references to the Devil.

He also wrote an essay questioning God's existence and saying the world needed Satanic people - "People like you need Satanic people like me to keep the balance."

The word Satan was written across the back of a jotter with the phrase: "I have tasted the Devil's green blood."

In another essay, Mitchell wrote: "So what if I am a Goth in a Catholic school? So what if I dress in baggy clothes?

"Just because I am more violent than others and cut myself, does that justify some pompous git of a teacher to refer me to a psychiatrist?

"Just because I have chosen to follow the teachings of Satan doesn't mean I need psychiatric help."

He also admitted stubbing out cigarettes on his hand as a "party trick" and had scratched the numbers 666 on his upper-right forearm with a compass.

But much of what brought Mitchell and Jodi together was focused around their interest in music and their attraction.

Luke and Jodi shared a passion for alternative music
He and Jodi spent a lot of time together and had sex on the Saturday night before she was killed.

Mitchell was accused of going out with another girl at the same time as he was seeing Jodi.

On the day she died, one witness said he saw Jodi and Mitchell smoking cannabis in a hide-away in a wood.

Later, in police investigations of the death scene, the initials LM and JJ were found carved into the bark of a tree and in a search of Mitchell's bedroom a leather knife pouch was discovered with the initials JJ and the dates 1989 to 2003.

Mitchell's cannabis use was said to have escalated after the death and he claimed it doubled to four-and-a-half ounces a week, which was estimated in court to be about 600 joints.

[mike tesko]

(1) - http://www.scotsman.com/news/police-believe-jodi-s-killer-is-a-local-man-1-885262

Police believe Jodi's killer is a local man

14:37Wednesday 02 July 2003

DETECTIVES hunting the savage killer of 14-year-old Jodi Jones said today they believe they are looking for a local man.

Murder squad officers believe whoever carried out the frenzied attack on the Lothian schoolgirl must have known the tree-lined walkway where the murder took place.

Jodi’s semi-clothed and battered body was discovered by her 14-year-old boyfriend, Luke Mitchell, late on Monday night.The teenager had been repeatedly stabbed and her throat had been cut, but police have found no evidence of a sexual attack.

As the hunt for the murderer continued today, officers at the scene of the killing on the edge of Dalkeith widened their search for the knife used to repeatedly stab the teenager which they believe may have been dumped nearby.

Police today also repeated their appeal for public help to catch the killer, even though they received more than 140 calls in the first 24 hours of their inquiry.

Officers believe the killer’s clothes are likely to have been covered in blood after the attack and that someone may find them.

Detective Inspector Tom Martin, who is in charge of Lothian and Borders Police’s major crime team, said today he believed they were looking for a killer who knew the local area well.

"There has to be an element of local knowledge given the location of the finding of the body," he said.

"It would be perhaps somewhat strange for a complete stranger to happen upon this walkway, which is a shortcut for kids and used by local people. To us, that would depend on some kind of local knowledge."

Mr Martin today repeated warnings to people living in the former mining communities around where the murder took place to be extra vigilant.

"We are mindful that this person is still at large and would ask that if a member of the public has any suspicions, or, with the benefit of hindsight, remembers seeing anyone strange at the time, to come forward.

"We also want to know if somebody has disappeared from the local scene or has shown a marked change in behaviour."

He said officers working on the case - currently more than 40 - were today carrying out door-to-door inquiries and forensic teams were engaged in a more detailed examination of the crime scene.

The area of examination has been extended in the hope of discovering the murder weapon, which has still to be recovered.

Mr Martin added: "The main focus of the search will be the weapon used in the murder. There is a strong likelihood, given previous experience, that this could be found in reasonable proximity to where the body was found."

He said both Jodi’s family and her boyfriend Luke’s family, who live one-and-a-half miles from Jodi’s Easthouses home in neighbouring Newbattle, were "extremely, extremely distressed".

"This has been a massive shock and blow to both families, especially Jodi’s. But they are receiving support from family and friends," he said.

Police say they have had a good response from the public and received more than 140 calls in the first 24 hours. But there have been no sightings of the girl, leading police to believe she may have been killed shortly after she was last seen.

Mr Martin added that the public had responded "extremely well" to the police’s appeal for information, but that as yet there was "no indication" why Jodi was targeted.

The 14-year-old was killed as she went to meet her boyfriend, in what police said was one of the most violent attacks they had come across in decades. The teenager’s family raised the alarm when she did not return after setting out from her home in Easthouses at 5.30pm on Monday.

They realised she was missing when Jodi’s mother, Judy, 38, sent a text message to Jodi’s boyfriend, Luke, saying she had missed her 10pm curfew.

When he replied to say that he had not seen her, the family called the police, and Luke joined members of her family to hunt for the schoolgirl.

Luke found her body just before midnight next to a footpath in woods behind Newbattle High School. The path she had used was a popular shortcut with local people and would have saved her having to walk for an extra half-hour.

Police said the schoolgirl had put up a struggle before being overpowered by her killer.

Detectives are still trying to piece together Jodi’s final movements, particularly between 5pm and 8.30pm - the time directly after she left her home in Parkhead Place.

Jodi is described as 5ft 7in, with shoulder-length light brown hair and wore glasses. She was dressed in jeans, dark blue trainers with a dark sweatshirt top.

Detective Superintendent Craig Dobbie yesterday described Jodi’s murder as "one of the most violent crimes I have experienced in my 28 years as a police officer".

Mr Dobbie said there was a "distinct chance" that the attacker may have bloodstained clothing.

"That’s another thing that people should be aware of - if anyone is aware of anyone with bloodstained clothing, or anything going into dry cleaning with bloodstains."

Asked what advice police would give to parents in the local area, Mr Dobbie said he would urge them to be vigilant about their children - "as they should always be".

And he appealed for any locals who may have been using the walkway on Monday evening to come forward. He said: "People use it for walking their dogs on a regular basis, most evenings and mornings.

"What I’m interested in is anyone who was using it between five o’clock and ten o’clock on Monday night to come forward."

Community councillor Robert Hogg said the killing had left the community in Easthouses and Mayfield badly scarred.

He said: "It could be a long summer if they don’t catch someone for this. Schools break up on Thursday and parents would be afraid to let their kids out to play."

Tributes have been paid to the young teenager, with flowers left at both the entrance to the pathway where she met her death and at Newbattle Community High School, near to where her body was found.

One tribute placed at the school read: "Jodi, Loving angels will be there to catch you".

The floral tributes, which numbered over a dozen, also included a poster with Jodi’s photograph, and the words "Rest in Peace".

And another printed passage summed up the feelings of many in the community. It read: "Beautiful, young and innocent, sadly taken by the scum of this earth. May Jehovah deal with them personally. All our heart and soul’s are with you and your family. May your courage bring you all through this sad time."

Jodi’s mother, brother Joseph, 20, and sister Janine, 17, were being comforted by friends and relatives at the semi-detached family home. The 14-year-old was close to her extended family, particularly her grandmother, who the whole family moved in with for a short time about eight years. Jodi continued to regularly visit her grandmother, who lives near the rest of the family, sometimes spending weekends with her.

Joseph said: "We are all too upset too speak about it right now and have nothing to say."

Another female relative, who did not want to be named, said: "It is just too painful. Nothing we can say or do will bring Jodi back."

The tragedy will be even more difficult for the family because it falls near the anniversary of her dad’s death. James was 39 when he hanged himself in the family home where they stayed nearby in 1998.

Neighbours of the family were last night stunned to hear about the murder of a girl they described as studious and bright.

One 40-year-old, who did not want to be named, said: "This has come as a horrific shock to everyone who lives in the area.

"I saw Jodi on her way back from school on Monday afternoon and she walked past my house looking like she didn’t have a care in the world.

"She was a very friendly girl from a very nice family. She was always at school. I always saw her getting on and off the school bus.

"She seemed very popular. There were always friends of hers calling at the house. She was like any other teenager, she had started dying her hair different colours such as red and purple, and experimenting with clothes. She had a Goth style and so did her boyfriend, who she was with a lot."

An elderly neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said: "This is shocking, considering there is never any trouble here. Lots of people use that path as a short cut and think nothing of it."

[mike tesko]

Take it from me, they did not apprehend or convict the killer. The person they arrested, and prosecuted, and convicted, was but a boy, not a man. Let me assure everyone that it was not a boy who carried out these atrocities, it was an adult with a warped, evil mind, who had a history of violence, and a hatred of young females. The killer was not Luke. The results from a lie detector test he took, supports his innocence... 

[mike tesko]

I feel strongly that his elder brother Shane is the killer. I have my reasons for believing and thinking this. I don't buy into the idea that he was tricked, or that he felt trapped by the police / prosecutions approach. I can't understand why Luke said his older brother was at home, and that his older brother declared that he was, but was unaware that Luke was in the house at the same time. It just doesn't add up...

[marty]

Clothes being destroyed in the family owned burner, may just have easily been attributed to the older brother Shane, than to young Luke Mitchell. Where is the evidence to distinguish, one from the other, or doesn't anybody know?

That burner was forensically tested,no evidence funnier enough to show that clothes or anything like that had ever been burnt in the pale,that's basically what it is, or anywhere round about it.
Or did they manage to get all the evidence off of the pale and the surrounding area as well as get rid of all Luke's DNA from the crime scene. Bloody clever

[marty]

Take it from me, they did not apprehend or convict the killer. The person they arrested, and prosecuted, and convicted, was but a boy, not a man. Let me assure everyone that it was not a boy who carried out these atrocities, it was an adult with a warped, evil mind, who had a history of violence, and a hatred of young females. The killer was not Luke. The results from a lie detector test he took, supports his innocence...

Exactly what I have said from day one
It's no Shane though