FASO

Brilliant work from the Guardian. Full link below 👇👇👇 @shattenstone 👏 At trial, ballistics expert Malcolm Fletcher stated that every shot had hit the target area, saying there were “25 hits out of 25”, indicating that 25 bullets and 25 empty cartridge cases had been found. The prosecution argued that Bamber – a skilled huntsman – had to be the killer, because Caffell was insufficiently experienced with a rifle to have a 100% hit rate. The defence argued that Caffell did have limited knowledge of handling .22 rifles because she had grown up on the farm and attended rural shoots. The bullets identified by Carney-Gannon imply that the shooter was less skilled than has been suggested. After all, not only does Carney-Gannon suspect that some bullets missed June Bamber, she believes June probably moved around for some time after being shot. Carney-Gannon’s findings support a forensic investigation the Guardian commissioned from the prestigious forensic physician Professor Jason Payne-James, earlier this year, into whether or not a silencer was used in the shooting of Caffell. The silencer in question was found three days after the massacre, in a downstairs storage cupboard at White House Farm, by relatives who went on to inherit from the Bamber estate. This silencer was crucial in the case against Bamber. The prosecution argued that Caffell’s arms were not long enough to kill herself had the silencer been attached to the rifle, and, if she had shot herself, she would obviously have been unable to replace the silencer in the downstairs cupboard. At trial, it was stated that blood belonging to Caffell was found inside this silencer. Mr Justice Drake told the jury that if they were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that a silencer was used, then Bamber was guilty of the murders. Minutes before they convicted Bamber, the jury returned to ask whether the blood in the silencer definitely belonged to Caffell. The judge told them it did. In fact, it was merely her blood grouping, which she shared with Robert Boutflour, who regularly used the guns. Payne-James concluded that a silencer had not been used, and that the two shots to Caffell’s neck and chin were either contact or close-contact wounds. This dismantled much of the prosecution’s case against Bamber, and is consistent with Carney-Gannon’s view. It is hard to see how the commission will not be swayed by Carney-Gannon’s findings, especially under its new leadership. After all, the new evidence regarding stray bullets that were shot at the bed; June Bamber sitting down and walking around after being hit by an unskilled shooter; and, most importantly, the blood stains suggesting that Sheila Caffell shot herself, turns the case on its head. theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-i…

Conflict places more of the care burden on women and girls' shoulders. #Peace and security require more than their unpaid labor. Women and girls must be at the heart of peacebuilding. 🔗 See more on the @UN Secretary-General's report on #WomenPeaceSecurity: unwomen.org/en/articles/expl…