< 1> Friday, 15th May 1998. < 2> THE CHAIRMAN: Good morning. Do sit down, thank you < 3> very much. Mr Lawson, before we start, there is just < 4> one announcement that I think I ought to make. < 5> Yesterday evening we had a meeting with all the lawyers < 6> involved and the represented parties in order to < 7> discuss the giving of evidence by the five young men < 8> who have been known as the suspects. There is no need < 9> for me to name them. <10> As a result of that discussion, it was indicated <11> to me that the lawyers on behalf of those five young <12> men propose to take proceedings by way of judicial <13> review in the divisional Court of the High Court in <14> order to test various matters in connection with the <15> summons that I issued and the vires, that is to say the <16> powers that were exercised in the making of the <17> original decision that this inquiry should be held. <18> I phrase the matter broadly because, of course, I <19> do not know exactly what the nature of the application <20> will be. I simply indicate that publicly. They <21> propose to make that application, but it will not hold <22> up the business of the Inquiry. We will, of course, <23> continue with our programme and call the witnesses as <24> they have been listed and as we hope that they will <25> appear between now and the time when they may come to . P-5054 < 1> give evidence. < 2> MR LAWSON: Thank you, sir. < 3> Sir, as you know, Mr Brooks is in attendance this < 4> morning and it is proposed that his statement will be < 5> read. < 6> THE CHAIRMAN: Yes. < 7> MR LAWSON: Before that is done, I do not wish to delay < 8> it, just so far as the planning of the day is < 9> concerned. Perhaps we could seek your direction. I <10> know that Mr Mansfield and Ms Woodley have been having <11> discussions about the evidence of Mr Crampton and <12> finishing that today. I gather there are <13> difficulties. Perhaps that could be resolved now. <14> THE CHAIRMAN: I think that is sensible because we <15> would have to contact him if we wanted him to come <16> back. <17> MR MANSFIELD: Sir, yes, I am much obliged. The <18> position is, as Ms Woodley appreciates, that until <19> yesterday we were unaware of a certain matter. I am <20> not going to name anybody for any purpose at this <21> stage, it all arises out of a particular page, which I <22> do not ask to be brought up on the screen, in the <23> Kent Report. <24> THE CHAIRMAN: The one you used when you were <25> cross-examining Mr Crowley? . P-5055 < 1> MR MANSFIELD: That's right. < 2> THE CHAIRMAN: Yes, yes. We are all aware of the < 3> position. < 4> MR MANSFIELD: Can I just say this: three separate < 5> authorities have been asked if they would kindly < 6> provide the materials that relate to, in fact, the two < 7> paragraphs that are at the bottom of that page and < 8> particularly the bottom paragraph on that page and we < 9> have asked for additional materials as well. <10> To date and over night we have had three <11> documents, but the major amount of the material has not <12> been proffered yet. There has not been a refusal or a <13> resistance, it has been very difficult to contact all <14> of the relevant individuals who are capable of giving <15> the authority and the material. At the moment there is <16> no response from any of them, and that is not a <17> criticism, it has just not been possible to crystallise <18> it. I do not really see it being possible to get the <19> material here by lunchtime, to assimilate it and then <20> put the witness on notice as to what it is. <21> THE CHAIRMAN: I see. Well, I am naturally inquisitive <22> and I would like to know what the documents are, but I <23> think it is better that I do not ask. I simply leave <24> it to you and Ms Woodley to carry on and we will have <25> Mr Crampton back on Monday morning. P-5056 < 1> MR MANSFIELD: I am obliged. < 2> THE CHAIRMAN: Ms Woodley, do you agree? < 3> MS WOODLEY: I do, sir, yes. < 4> THE CHAIRMAN: After Mr Brooks' evidence has been read < 5> then we will have Mr Barley, I understand, and we will < 6> likely to finish before lunch probably. < 7> MS WOODLEY: I think that is probably right. < 8> THE CHAIRMAN: I do not think anybody will cry over < 9> that. Naturally, I am sure we will catch up with any <10> time that is lost next week when we get on with the <11> other witnesses. <12> Mr Menon, Mr Duwayne Brooks sits beside you. <13> MR MENON: On my left, sir. <14> THE CHAIRMAN: We are very glad that he has come and we <15> are grateful for his attendance. Thank you very much, <16> Mr Brooks. <17> Mr Menon, I understand, will read the two <18> statements of Duwayne Brooks and they will be, of <19> course, be recorded on the tape and when that is <20> finished they will be quickly prepared in the form of a <21> statement which can be released to the parties and to <22> those who wish to see it. Thank you very much. <23> MR MENON: I am grateful. <24> The statement of Duwayne Brooks is in two parts: <25> part 1 is dated 6th April, 1998 and is signed and . P-5057 < 1> begins as follows: < 2> "Stephen Lawrence was one of my best friends. We < 3> met on our first day at secondary school -- the < 4> Blackheath Bluecoats, Church of England School. We < 5> were both about 11 years old. < 6> "Both Steve and I were 18 in 1993 when Steve was < 7> murdered. < 8> "In 1993 Steve was at school and I was at < 9> college. We saw each other regularly---- <10> THE CHAIRMAN: Mr Menon, I am so sorry interrupt. Can <11> you go a little slower because it has to be taken down, <12> you know, in one piece. It is not easy if you do not <13> have pauses. Start that paragraph again, would you <14> again, paragraph 2. <15> MR MENON:"In 1993 Steve was at school and I was at <16> college. We saw each other regularly. We usually met <17> either at my house or his Uncle Martin and wife <18> Millie's house. On April 22nd 1993 we were together at <19> Martin and Millie's house. <20> "In the evening we were hurrying to get back, as <21> Steve wanted to get home as soon as possible. We were <22> just looking for a bus on Well Hall Road. We were <23> attacked by a group of white boys, one of whom <24> shouted: 'What, what nigger?'. <25> "I can't bear to go into the details of it at this . P-5058 < 1> stage, so I will recount what happened after the < 2> murder." < 3> The first heading is: < 4> "The scene of the murder: < 5> "As we were running from the attack, Steve fell to < 6> the floor opposite the junction to Downman Road. I < 7> stopped on the pavement. I went back and I bent down < 8> and looked at him. He was lying by a tree. He was < 9> still breathing. I saw his blood running down the <10> floor. He could not speak. I saw his blood running <11> away. <12> "I ran across the road to the phone box and <13> dialled 999. I asked for an ambulance. I left the <14> phone hanging to run round the corner to see if the <15> boys were coming back up the road. <16> "I saw a white couple. I have since been told <17> they are called Taaffes. They were walking down the <18> road towards the phone box from Shooters Hill, so I ran <19> and asked for their help. They just ignored me. They <20> looked at me and sort of shimmied away and walked on. <21> "I have recently been shown Conor Taaffe's <22> statement. I see he thought that we might be going to <23> rob them. This fits with my recollection of how they <24> behaved towards me when I first approached them. <25> "I ran back to the phone box and picked up the . P-5059 < 1> receiver and spoke. I told the lady, who said < 2> something like, I am still here. What happened? We < 3> had an exchange about where I was. I knew where I was < 4> but I looked at a printed card in the phone box. It < 5> was wrong, I think it said the postcode was SE26. I < 6> got confused and frustrated, I don't know whether she < 7> could hear me properly. I was shouting. < 8> "I can't remember if she asked me for a phone < 9> number. I cannot remember exactly what I told her <10> about what happened. <11> "I slammed the phone down on the shelf and left. <12> "I am told it is said that I kicked the box. I <13> don't recall this but it is possible given how <14> frustrated I was. I was frustrated then because there <15> was no help.