Rishi Nathwani led by Kieran Vaughan QC, alleged Gangland, drug related 5 handed Murder of Reece James Menzies. Represented alleged organiser of a planned execution with sawn-off shotgun, where 3 of the Defendants travelled to an address in Bournemouth from London in the early hours of the morning and went straight to a known drug dealer’s address, entered the property and exited 90 seconds later with the deceased passing away during that time due to a bullet wound to the face. Complex case involved covert surveillance probe, cell site/telephone evidence, anonymous witnesses and bad character/motive issues where Defence case was a burglary during which the deceased produced a firearm that killed him in an accident. Much of the evidence was excluded after successful legal argument relating to bad character despite attacking character of the deceased and his associates. After lengthy trial, Defendant acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter by majority verdict before Mrs Justice Davies QC and a jury. Instructed by Goldkorns.
