Neville Lawrence has asserted that one of his son's killers should identify the other accomplices participating in the killing before having his case reviewed for parole.
Parole Hearing Nears for Convicted Killer
Stephen's father, now 83, is awaiting David Norris's first appearance before the release committee where he will request his release.
Norris, now 49 years old, was sentenced to a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years and three months in January 2012, more than 18 years after Stephen was killed by a racist gang while waiting for a bus home.
Unique Hearing Arrangements
The parole hearing will be conducted in prison with a live stream broadcast to a courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice. Norris will be visible on camera, but just the back of his head will be shown to observers.
Authorization was given for his release proceeding to be public after news outlets applied with the backing of Stephen's family, with Neville Lawrence saying: "Increased public visibility, the better."
Admission and Continuing Denial
In case papers detailing the decision, it was disclosed that Norris currently admits he was present at the location of the murder, but claims that he merely struck Stephen and was not the one who stabbed him.
Lawrence emphasized the importance of hearing Stephen's killers identified and held accountable. "It matters for me because of what these people have done," he said.
"They ruined my life. They made me not to be able to live in this country. They've deprived me of the chance of seeing my son getting married, of having his grandchildren."
"This man has taken me of so much that there is no way I can even begin to consider that he should be permitted to be released."
Investigation Details
Law enforcement believe Stephen was killed by a gang of as many as six people in Eltham, with only two having been convicted – Norris and Gary Dobson.
The two men were found guilty by a jury at the Old Bailey based on minute DNA evidence collected using advanced scientific methods.
Additional individuals in the case included the Acourt brothers, who have since been found guilty of separate narcotics crimes, and Luke Knight. A final individual, Matthew White, passed away in 2021.
Current Investigation
The police standards body is leading a review of the most recent stage of the inquiry into Stephen's death following the convictions of Dobson and Norris.
Family's Anguish
Lawrence expressed being "frustrated" at the speed of the justice system.
He has earlier stated he would be willing to pardon his son's killers if they demonstrated regret. He indicated that identifying accomplices would be a sign Norris was sorry and of a potential change in attitude.
"If I was on that Parole Board, he would have to cooperate before I even think of him coming out."
He added: "He could name the rest of the people that were with him. He should name the person that fatally wounded Stephen and make a formal apology to my family for killing my son."
He commented: "I doubt he'll make a public statement to us," continuing: "While I'm partial but I don't believe he should be able to roam freely – my son can't."
Tragic Events
Stephen was on his way to board public transport with his friend Duwayne Brooks in Eltham in spring 1993 when he was set upon and killed by a gang who used racist terms before they attacked.
Police Failures
Poor handling and claims of misconduct, centred around Norris's drug dealer father, dogged the case into Stephen's death for decades.
There was also outrage when it emerged that police spies from the Metropolitan police had spied on justice campaigners assisting the family.
In the late 1990s, a official investigation into Stephen's death concluded that the force was institutionally racist.
