Latest news with #OrkneyAssassin:MurderInTheIsles
Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Michael Ross' lawyer hopes The Orkney Assassin documentary will 'encourage new witnesses'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Michael Ross' lawyer is optimistic that the new Prime Video documentary The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles will unearth "new evidence". It's been three decades since the appalling murder of 26 year old Shamsuddin Mahmood, who was shot dead while working at Mumtaz Restaurant in Kirkwall, Orkney. The masked assailant entered the restaurant and swiftly left after firing the fatal shot, leaving onlookers in shock. Ross, who faced questioning at age 15, managed to avoid arrest for 14 years until his 2008 conviction. To commemorate the anniversary of Mahmood's murder, Prime Video has launched the documentary, featuring insights from journalists, ex-police officers, Ross' family, and eyewitnesses. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) Ross' legal representative Aamer Anwar shared the main motivations for participating in the Prime Video production. "The basis for us taking part in this was one, to ensure it was a balanced documentary," he explained. "I appreciate at the end of the day that Michael is a convicted killer and of course, this is not a case of no documentary would be doing its job if it simply presented all one side unless you could provide completely overwhelming evidence, as has happened in the past. This is not one of those cases. "But we were very much of the view that the passage of time either means that there's somebody on the island that knows more than they said at the time. (Image: PRIME VIDEO/ORKNEY PHOTOGRPAHIC) "There are people who were scared at the time, the passage of time might have taken that away or people who have a guilty conscience that they didn't come forward. "And one hopes that those people would at this stage. That would strike as new evidence, that would be people who didn't come forward, to explain what happened, who saw what happened, who knew what happened, who knew exactly who it was that pulled the trigger." In the time since his conviction, Ross has remained adamant that he isn't guilty of murdering Mahmood when he was 15. 'You still have someone who claims he is innocent, who has never given up that he is innocent, who is still fighting to prove his innocence.', Anwar added. 'He could have made his life a lot easier by saying 'I did it.' A lot more chance of parole then, a lot more chance of getting out earlier.' The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles is available to watch on Prime Video.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Orkney Assassin Michael Ross' lawyer hopes Prime Video documentary will lead to 'new evidence'
The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles has been released on Prime Video to mark the anniversary of Shamsuddin Mahmood's death in a Kirkwall restaurant in 1994. Michael Ross' lawyer is optimistic that the new documentary on Prime Video will unearth fresh evidence. Three decades have gone by since the murder of 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood, who lost his life while working at the Mumtaz Restaurant in Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands. He was tragically killed by a masked assailant who brazenly entered the eatery and made a swift departure following the fatal shooting, leaving witnesses in disbelief. Ross, who faced police scrutiny at age 15, managed to dodge arrest for 14 years until his conviction as an ex-Army sniper in 2008. Prime Video has rolled out a special documentary that includes insights from journalists, past detectives, the family of Ross, and those present at the scene. Ross's lawyer elaborated on the compelling motivations behind their participation in the Prime Video project. "The basis for us taking part in this was one, to ensure it was a balanced documentary," he said. "I appreciate at the end of the day that Michael is a convicted killer and of course, this is not a case of no documentary would be doing its job if it simply presented all one side unless you could provide completely overwhelming evidence, as has happened in the past. This is not one of those cases. "But we were very much of the view that the passage of time either means that there's somebody on the island that knows more than they said at the time. "There are people who were scared at the time, the passage of time might have taken that away or people who have a guilty conscience that they didn't come forward. "And one hopes that those people would at this stage. That would strike as new evidence, that would be people who didn't come forward, to explain what happened, who saw what happened, who knew what happened, who knew exactly who it was that pulled the trigger." In the time since his conviction, Ross has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the murder of Mahmood when he was just 15 years old. "You still have someone who claims he is innocent, who has never given up that he is innocent, who is still fighting to prove his innocence," he said. "He could have made his life a lot easier by saying 'I did it.' A lot more chance of parole then, a lot more chance of getting out earlier."
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Michael Ross' lawyer describes Orkney Assassin as 'well-mannered' and 'gentle' in Prime Video documentary
Michael Ross was convicted of the murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood in 2008, with his lawyer opening up on the convicted killer in a new Prime Video documentary. Convicted murderer Michael Ross has been described as "gentle" by his lawyer in a new one-off documentary. The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles premiered on Prime Video on Sunday, June 8, providing audiences insight from officers, journalists, witnesses, and Ross's parents regarding the murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood. In 2008, Ross faced conviction for the murder of the Indian restaurant waiter, which occurred 14 years prior and recieved a life sentence. Throughout the trial, Donald Findlay provided Ross' defence, but as disclosed in the documentary, with more than 10 years remaining until parole eligibility, Ross sought new representation. Lawyer Aamer Anwar was hired for the position but expressed his initial doubts about taking on the case. Anwar commented in the documentary: "So when it came in, there was some healthy cynicism. "'Why me? You know my reputation. You know I fight injustice, human rights and on race' but they said that's exactly the reason why Michael wanted me to have a look at the case. "And when I met Michael, he was well mannered, considered, gentle." Ross, since his sentencing, has consistently proclaimed his innocence and has made three attempts to escape prison, the most recent being a 2018 incident where he tried to scale a fence. Anwar added: "And the fact that in all these years, he's maintained his innocence. "That always strikes me when somebody refuses to take the easy option and go 'you know what, I'm guilty' to try and get out earlier. "But he's refused to do that, he says he cannot do that, he insists he's an innocent man. And it's never ended."
Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Orkney Assassin Michael Ross' lawyer describers convicted killer as 'gentle'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Michael Ross' lawyer praised the convicted murderer as "well-mannered" and "gentle" upon their first meeting. Prime Video has just dropped its gripping new documentary, The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles, on Sunday, June 8, featuring interviews with former police officers, journalists, witnesses and Ross' own parents about the chilling murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood. Ross was convicted for killing the Indian restaurant waiter in 2008, 14 years after Mahmood's death, with the former Army sniper given a life sentence for the cirme. During the trial, Ross had Donald Findlay QC fighting his corner, but as the documentary reveals, with over 10 years left until he's up for parole, Ross hired a new lawyer. Scottish solicitor Aamer Anwar confessed to some initial doubts about taking on the infamous case in the documentary. (Image: PRIME VIDEO) He shared: "So when it came in, there was some healthy cynicism. "'Why me? You know my reputation. You know I fight injustice, human rights and on race' but they said that's exactly the reason why Michael wanted me to have a look at the case. "And when I met Michael, he was well mannered, considered, gentle." (Image: PRIME VIDEO) Despite years behind bars, Ross is remains insisted about his innocence and has tried to escape prison three times, with the most recent attempt in 2018 when he attempted to climb a fence. Anwar adds: "And the fact that in all these years, he's maintained his innocence. "That always strikes me when somebody refuses to take the easy option and go 'you know what, I'm guilty' to try and get out earlier. "But he's refused to do that, he says he cannot do that, he insists he's an innocent man. And it's never ended." The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles is available to watch on Prime Video.
