James Scobie KC of the Garden Court Criminal Defence Team successfully represented the defendant, leading Robert Ward of 15NBS Chambers, and instructed by Panayiotis Symeou of Faradays Solicitors.
The defendant was charged with the murder of a man who suffered a fatal stab wound at a party in Woodford Green, East London. The man, known as rapper 'Hypo', whose real-name was Lamar Jackson, died as a result of his injuries at the party in Woodford Town Football Club on 3 June 2022. Mr Jackson was a high-profile individual having previously been in a relationship with singer Emile Sande. He also had a fearsome reputation as the leader of the notorious London Fields Gang based in Hackney.
The defendant, represented by James, was at the party working a shift as part of the security team. He accepted arming himself with a knife for his own protection following an earlier incident, but maintained he was acting in self-defence when he caused the fatal injury.
He was unanimously acquitted by the jury after two hours of deliberation at the Central Criminal Court.
The case has received widespread press coverage, including in The Independent, BBC News and the Guardian.
