Qatar court postpones retrial of British teacher murder case
On October 2013, Qatar was abuzz after the murder of British teacher, Lauren Patterson, who was allegedly stabbed to death.
The retrial of this high-profile case where a Qatari man Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabar was accused of killing the British expat and burning her remains was adjourned yesterday when the Defense Lawyer did not show up in court.
The retrial has been adjourned until May 1 and Alarabiya.net reports that Jabar told the court that no defence team was present as, “my lawyer was not informed about today’s hearing”.
Jabar was initially sentenced to death two years ago after being convicted of murdering Lauren Patterson.
According to evidence given in court, the victim was also sexually abused.
Last February, however, Qatar’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, threw out the conviction and sentence, ordering a retrial.
Jabar maintained he had accidentally stabbed Patterson after a row which she had started.
Lauren’s mother Alison told she would attend the next hearing despite her disappointment on Sunday.
Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Let there be justice ......... for all ................
The blood of the innocent girl will hunt all if justice is not served.I pity her mum who has to come all the time for these sessions.
Forgive me if I take this with a large dose of cynicism .
I wouldn't be surprised if the delays continue for simple reasons and the crime is soon forgotten
" the Defense Lawyer did not show up ". - It seems so easy, just don't show up and nothing will happen. It reminds me of the case of the Villagio fire. A clever tactic, it seems. How stupid can the courts in Qatar really be?