All Barry Ellis wants is the truth. And in the case of murdered Albanian refugee Fetah Marku, that is far from a simple request.
Barry's younger brother, Richard, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Mr Marku at the Old Bailey last Tuesday, and for Barry, the shadow of doubt around the exact circumstances of the case is too much to take.
"It's a travesty of justice. A total, total wrong," said Barry, a 44-year-old security worker from Pavilion Way, Edgware. "The police were going nowhere with this investigation. The only clue they had was Richard Ellis. Now a 33-year-old father-of-three has been convicted of murder."
The court heard that Mr Marku was attacked by up to 30 people, including Richard Ellis, yet he is the only one convicted of murder.
"Someone came up to me the other day and told me that Richard deserves a medal for keeping quiet about what really happened that night," said Barry. "(Mr Marku) had 29 stab wounds. A person or persons stabbed him. This was not just the work of one man.
"What I think the others should do and what they will do are two different things. I want them to tell the police that my brother didn't stab the geezer, but I can't see that happening."
Ellis himself claimed he did not know a single person involved in the attack, despite being the weekly music organiser at the Oscar Wilde pub. He is now planning to appeal.
June 20, 2002 11:30
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