BBC
April 26, 1999, in London, UK

Dando, a prominent television presenter on the BBC Crimewatch program, was shot in the head outside her London home.

Dando was a well-known television personality and had earlier been stalked by a fan. The London weekly Observer reported that someone claiming to be a Serb had contacted Dando two weeks before her death to say she should not have made an appeal on behalf of Kosovar Albanian refugees. Police explored leads to a wide range of potential suspects, including an alleged Serb assassin and a jilted lover.

On July 2, 2001, a local man named Barry George was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder. Following the trial, however, several British newspapers openly questioned the conviction, pointing out that the murder weapon was never recovered, there were no witnesses to the crime, and no motive was ever established.

George, who served eight years in prison, appealed and won a retrial. In August 2008, he was acquitted.

Disclaimer: © Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.