Hoxton Square lights up for Sam Hallam

Sam Hallam: 'He wasn't there' at White Cube gallery, Hoxton Square

Dozens of Hackney residents gathered in Hoxton Square last Friday night to protest the innocence of local man Sam Hallam, who was jailed for murder five years ago this month.

Images and messages were projected onto buildings in the square, including the White Cube gallery. Supporters handed out postcards to Friday night revellers to bring the campaign to the alternative Hoxton.

Sam was 17 when he was charged with the murder of Essayus Kassahun, 21, who was killed in a fight between two groups of youths from Hoxton and Finsbury on the night of 11 October 2004. He is currently serving a minimum 12 year sentence.

The only evidence against him was statements from two witnesses, both of whom changed their stories during the trial. One said in court, “I saw someone who looked like him. If it wasn’t him, I saw someone who looked like him.”

Campaign supporters highlight that there is no forensic or CCTV evidence to prove Sam was at the scene of the murder, which happened at the corner of Bath Street and Old Street. His family maintain that he was playing football at the time.

The event on Friday, called Seeing the Light, projected visuals saying, “He was not there…he is not here.”

It was managed by Susie Hinchcliffe, who became involved in the campaign when she moved to Hoxton a year ago. She told the Hackney Citizen, “The more you find out, the more you think – this could happen to any of us.”

While Sam’s case is well known among his peers and neighbours, this is the first event which has brought the issue to trendy Hoxton. Ms Hinchliffe said, “Publicity really does help, which is why we’re doing this – it’s not just shouting into the darkness.”

Paul May, who successfully campaigned for the release of the Bridgewater Four and the Birmingham Six, is leading the campaign. He points to flaws in the appeals system that Sam’s case is currently going through.

He said: “…the way the appeal system works – you have to come up with new evidence which was incapable of being raised at the first trial, which is almost a catch  22.”

Mr May also blames huge budget cuts at the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) for the delay in Sam’s secondary appeal being heard. He said, “The other major difficulty is the kind of glacial pace at which the CCRC works. It’s now nearly two years since we put in new evidence and to date they haven’t interviewed a single witness. Not one single witness.”

May now intends to lobby Minister Jack Straw and the Ministry of Justice, who are responsible for financing the CCRC. He highlights that while the Commission deals with 1000 cases per year on a budget of £7 million, “Policing on the first day of the G20 protest – additional policing – cost £8 million. Any suggestion that the money isn’t available is fanciful.”

A protest single by hip-hop artist Smiffy, entitled “The Broken Wheels of Justice,” was debuted at the MacBeth bar on Hoxton Street on Monday evening to raise more awareness for the campaign.