generalspeaking

A Decorated Hero

His father and his grandfather before him were proud military men, upstanding and outstanding members of their community. Proud Britons, with a proud history behind them. The thirty-year-old, born in northern Scotland, married, father of two young children, also a decorated sniper with the elite Black Watch regiment. At his young age, already accomplished with a distinguished career in the army.

He was even delegated to guard Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Hong Kong. He was with the British contingent in Iraq, where he was admired by his fellow troopers. He was courageous, demonstrated a cool head even under fire. His commanding officer had nothing but praise for him "one of the finest soldiers, if not the finest soldier, I've commanded".

A model citizen of his country. A credit to his upbringing. Someone whose values and conduct would ensure his children would be well patterned to themselves become sterling individuals and do their family, their society, their community, and their country proud. What more could anyone ask for?

Other than that, fifteen years earlier, when he was fifteen years of age, he admired Nazi Germany; thought, felt and behaved like a flaming racist, and murdered an immigrant, a black Bangladeshi who'd had the unmitigated nerve to open a restaurant in Kirkwall, Orkney. An affront to every decent Scotsman, in the mind of Michael Ross.

Wearing a balaclava, he entered Shamshuddin Mahmood's restaurant, full of patrons, and shot him fatally with a pistol. Then turned and ran off, changing his clothes to escape detection. He had informed friends that "blacks should not be up here and should be shot". Well done. He'd been an enthusiastic army cadet, received training and became a top marksman.

He was fascinated with weapons, and knew them intimately, absorbed by firearms. And attained marksman status by age 14. The prosecutors at his trial, fifteen years after the murder, when he was finally brought to justice, claimed the killing represented "all the hallmarks of a professional hit, savage, merciless and pointless".

At the time there was no proof he was involved. There was no weapon found or any other forensic evidence to work on beyond the cartridge - a nine-millimetre - unusual. Which was handed over to a firearms expert for further examination. Police Constable Eddie Ross, Michael Ross's father. Whose considered expert opinion it was that no weapon existed on the island capable of firing that bullet.

It was later revealed that he was himself in possession of similar bullets, and it was from his cache that his son armed himself. The senior Ross was convicted of perversion of justice and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. Losing his 23-year constabulary position and with it his pension. His son admitted to nothing, and went on to establish his military career.

A witness at the scene of the murder who had remained silent over the years finally stepped forward to identify Michael Ross as the murderer in the unsolved case, but anonymously, through a note which brought attention to him and aided in his identification. And a former girlfriend testified that Michael Ross had told her he had taken a gun from his father's weapons cabinet.

The presiding judge said "This was a vicious, evil, unprovoked murder of a defenceless man. The attack was a premeditated assassination. The evidence disclosed that you held racist views and sympathy for Nazi Germany. these views were not only abhorrent but an insult to the memory of those including members of your own distinguished regiment, who sacrificed their lives in opposition to them and in support of democratic principles."

This murderous racist hero was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 25 years to be served before eligibility for parole. Justice is patient, she awaits her opportunity, and claims the unjust.

Labels: Heroes and Villains

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, October 19, 2008