The inspiration for Noughts and Crosses Stephen Lawrence The inspiration for Noughts and Crosses

Teenager stabbed to death Stephen Lawrence (13 September 1974 – 22 April 1993) was a black British teenager from South-East London who was stabbed to death while waiting for a bus on the evening of 22 April 1993.[1] Stephen and a friend were surrounded by a gang of white youths who shouted racist abuse at them. Stephen was stabbed in the sides of his body and staggered 119 metres before collapsing to the ground and later dying.

A Racist Killing After the initial investigation, five suspects were arrested but never convicted. The police claimed that there was insufficient evidence. However, it has been suggested that the murder had a racist motive and that Lawrence was killed because he was black.

Institutional Corruption and Racism In 1999, an inquiry examined the original Metropolitan police investigation. It famously concluded that the force was "institutionally racist" and there were elements of corruption. It has been called 'one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain'.[4]

The Accused In 2002, two men accused in the Lawrence case, David Norris and Neil Acourt, were convicted and jailed for a racist attack on a plainclothes black police officer. No one has been convicted of Stephen Lawrence's murder. The suspected killers, all but one now possessing additional police records, are at large.

Compensation On 10 March 2006, the Metropolitan Police Service announced that it would pay Duwayne Brooks £100,000 as compensation for the manner in which police had handled his complaints about their actions toward him after the murder.

Literary Responses A play about Stephen Lawrence and the corrupt investigation called The Colour of Justice was performed in 1999. Malorie Blackman was shocked by the events and decided to address racism directly by writing Noughts and Crosses.

Institutional Racism The Report into lawrence’s death made a total of 70 recommendations for reform. These proposals included abolishing the double jeopardy rule and criminalising racist statements made in private. Also reforms for the British Civil Service, local governments, the National Health Service, schools, and the judicial system, in order to address issues of institutional racism.