Lucy Letby press conference

[Viviennemary]

There is a press conference going on now trying to get Lucy Letby's conviction overturned. From what I read the guilty verdict was sound. All those ill babies dying when she was alone with them. Just a coincidence? Already been refused an appeal.

I watched and listened to the whole panel live on Sky News. They said it was going to be 'explosive' and for once this wasn't exaggeration - clearly explained arguments for there being medical negligence, and scathing commentary on the management of the Trust.

Remember that these doctors have no skin in the game. None of them worked for the Trust, none of them were involved in the trial, and (as they said in the conference) all of these international leading doctors were appearing for no fee, fame or fortune.

I don't know all the details of this case, but the conference alone this morning, and its clear outline of the medical and other evidence for several cases, convinces me that something could have gone badly wrong and that Letby's conviction must be looked at again.

Quite where this leaves the Thirlwall Inquiry now...

The Guardian article makes it sound like at least some of the deaths were due to failures of care, which is totally believable given the current state of the NHS.

I don't think the diary is the most compelling point but the insulin?

If someone has a reason for what has happened there

Yes, it is really odd. I read MD in Private Eye and find myself very convinced by them. But it seems clear that if all this is the case, Letby was not properly represented in court - but she had a very experienced barrister who I think is still representing her in her appeals.

He was, he didn’t check his email and it was hardly in the news in Canada. There was an interview with him in the Times at the weekend. It was only once that he found out they were using his paper that he realised the evidence was flimsy.

I'm not convinced there was sufficient evidence to convict her. She didn't confess as op well knows. The babies could have died from natural causes (as initially thought) or other human intervention. It's awful for the parents of course but that shouldn't stop an unsafe conviction being overturned

I am sure Letby herself didn’t want some things included, but I could be wrong. I do seem to remember reading that somewhere though.

Yes, and the live stream of the conference made this point very, very clear indeed - lack of knowledge, competence etc., of senior medical staff, and poor management conditions at the Trust. They did not pull their punches, and they also provided evidence for each point made.

I've been around the block and yet never heard anything so damning.

What's that supposed to mean

I would absolutely not use the adjective lucky to describe her.

I agree racism is an issue but it doesn’t mean a miscarriage of justice should happen (fgs!)

Are these poor babies never going to be allowed peace to rest? Their families are getting no chance to grieve.

This is the issue. The babies who were alleged to have died of air embolism originally were thought to have died of natural causes.

If this does turn out to be a catastrophic miscarriage of justice then it's devastating for all concerned. This girl will always have a target on her back outside because there will always be those who believe she's guilty. She'll have to be given a new identity, surely.

Why do all these people want to jump on the case to prove her innocence? What is their gain?

Why do so many want to ignore anything but the fact she's guilty. I don't know if she is but the evidence needs to be sound for everyone's sake..

I've felt that Letby's conviction was unsafe from the start. Personally from what I've read, I think that it was a dysfunctional department, falling apart at the seams in terms of equipment and facilities and Letby was an easy scapegoat for all of the things that happened.

The "diary" entry mentioned was clearly not meant as a confession, either.

I followed this trial closely (professional interest for me) and I’m not sure she’s innocent but i definitely couldn’t say she’s guilty. The evidence was largely circumstantial and objective. It’s not a sound conviction.

Her legal team was lacking at the trial. She is now represented by Mark MacDonald who is excellent, particularly on miscarriages of justice. He put the panel together to ask for expert medical advice. His approach has been vindicated. Hopefully her conviction will be found unsafe.

"I agree racism is an issue but it doesn’t mean a miscarriage of justice should happen (fgs!)"

Racism? What on earth does that have to do with anything?

A British Nurse Was Found Guilty of Killing Seven Babies. Did She Do It? | The New Yorker

It isn’t me who brought it up. A lot of posters are claiming that her case has only generated supporters because she’s white.

So if she is innocent, Lucy Letby would just have to tolerate a lifetime in jail to spare those families?

If this is true it is a gross miscarriage of justice.

I do wonder if there’d br all this examination if she’d been black rather than a pretty white girl,

she's completely ordinary looking & the fact racism exists is not an excuse to avoids re examination.

I also think she’s a bit odd and socially inept which has been interpreted as evidence of her guilt somehow.

Exactly- the diary entry was instructed by her therapist. It can't be said to be a confession