Instructed to defend in a Murder where understanding cross cultural relationships and religious issues was key.

Narita and Harry were instructed to defend the principal defendant, who was alleged to have killed a man who was both his cousin and brother in law. The co-accused was his wife, who had reverted to her husband’s religion and was of dual heritage.

Presenting the case for the defence meant investigating the family dynamics and how behaviour was shaped by the close family ties and culture the defendants came from, including what was expected from certain members of the family, the impact of certain actions, family values, money, hierarchy and honour within the family and community.

This case was particularly unusual as it was also necessary to demonstrate and advance the particular challenges faced by couples in cross cultural relationships living within an extended family such as; coping with religious differences, language barriers, cultural deference, disagreements over family values, different ideas about bringing up children, different methods of dealing with conflict and unsupportive families.

It was necessary in this case to ensure the tribunal of fact appreciated and were educated as to the complex factual and cultural matrix and background in which the offence occurred.

instructed to defend in a murder trial where the prosecution sought to rely upon a Drill Rap which they alleged amounted to a factually accurate account of events which occurred before and after a fatal stabbing

The prosecution sought to rely upon an expert to interpret the drill rap. Post cross examination it transpired that the expertise of the prosecution expert was limited to linguistic interpretation of urban slang. The defence identified and instructed an expert who specialised in policing and criminalisation of black music subcultures, the rap on trial project and in particular grime and drill music. It became clear, post challenge, that drill lyrics can be fact, fiction or a combination of both. However, it would be unsafe to rely upon the lyrics as factually accurate.

Drill rap has a growing appeal with millions of YouTube hits. It’s criminalisation is a highly topical issue, such the case of Digga D here.

Those who are charged with offences need to ensure that their legal team understand the provenance and background to rap and are able to mount a proper legal challenge to the material, to ensure that it is not given adverse weight.

Read more about the case here.

Instructed to defend in Decapitation Murder at the Central Criminal Court.
A two pronged defence was advanced.

Please read news article The Independent

The trial of 4 defendants lasted 8 weeks before a High Court judge in the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. The victim was an 18 year old Somalian who was stabbed 21 times in a lane near to the Cardiff University Students Union. Multiple eye-witnesses from the University saw the attack and gave evidence for the prosecution.

The defence challenged the prosecution pathologist’s evidence in support of the defendants’ case of self- defence. This involved detailed cross examination of the pathologist to establish the precise cause of the multiple wounds, the effect of intoxication levels of the deceased, and a detailed analysis of the weapons used to inflict the wounds.

Instructed to defend in a triple Murder. Narita’s client is alleged to have murdered his wife and two children before leaving the UK. Extradition proceedings resulted in the client being tried 12 years post the date of the offences. The case involves challenging numerous expert reports including; Pathologists, Cell Site, Telephonic, DNA and Fingerprint Experts. The focus of the defence centred around the developments and technologies which improved the sensitivity and informativeness of DNA testing over the last 12 years, read more here.

Following a 4 week trial the client was cleared of his involvement in the murder of 74-year-old jeweler. The prosecution alleged that the deceased was abducted whilst walking home from his jewellery shop on 24th January by the client and 3 other men. The men tortured and beat Mr. Jogiya for information before dumping him in a country lane. The client was the only defendant to be acquitted despite all co-defendants attributing sole responsibility for the murder on him.

National Press Coverage

Client was the sole defendant acquitted out of sixteen defendants allegedly involved in four shootings in Bedford. Prosecuted by the tri-force collaboration arrangement including Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, Counter Terror Intelligence Unit and the Regional Organised Crime Unit. Defence succeeded due to deployment of strategic and tactical judgement.

National Press Coverage.

The Crown alleged that the client (aged 21) had attempted to murder the complainant by carrying out a savage and ferocious stabbing and then leaving the complainant for dead. The case was tried before the Resident Judge at Stafford Crown Court. Narita successfully cross-examined twenty eye witnesses who were present at the time of the alleged stabbing. The jury acquitted client in less than an hour.

Appeared for the main defendant who was extradited to the UK for Murder. The case involved challenging 9 expert witnesses.