Latest news with #TaneshaMelbourne-Blake
The Independent
17-04-2025
- The Independent
Murder trial for teenager killed in London drive-by shooting collapses after seven years
The trial of a man for the murder of teenager Tanesha Melbourne-Blake almost exactly seven years ago has collapsed. The 17-year-old was shot dead in an alleged gang shooting on rival territory in the North London area of Tottenham. Judge Mark Dennis KC discharged jurors in the Old Bailey case of Marcus La Croix, 37, because issues had arisen during the course of the evidence that needed to be 'bottomed out,' he said. Mr La Croix had allegedly made a confession to a fellow inmate, jurors had heard, leading to him being charged with murder. Further inquires are now needs, Judge Dennis said, following the evidence from two police officers who had taken a witness statement from the prisoner. He added that time is needed to carry out the investigation, saying: 'If you rush something like this further errors can be made.' He reassured jurors following news reports suggesting cases could be heard by a judge and two magistrates, saying: 'There will always be jury trials, come what may.' The case will be listed on June 20 for a case management hearing when the prosecution is expected to announce a decision on whether to seek a retrial. Previously, the court had heard how Tanesha had been standing with friends in Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018 when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire. Jurors were shown CCTV allegedly showing an attack on La Croix the day before the shooting by members of a rival gang. The prosecution alleged La Croix was among a group of men who travelled from Wood Green into rival territory before fatal shots were fired. The silver Vauxhall Meriva that the shots were fired from was later set alight outside a housing estate in Barnet, north London. Two years after the shooting, police made a breakthrough in the case when a prisoner at HMP Pentonville, north London, came forward to report an alleged confession, jurors were told. La Croix had been 'boasting' and 'showing off' to fellow inmates in 2020, it was claimed. An inmate told police La Croix admitted the killing after they spent time together and became close, the court was told. He had given evidence in the trial over two days before the two police officers were called as witnesses. La Croix, from Hackney, north London, had denied murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Murder trial collapses seven years after girl shot
The trial of a man for the murder of a 17-year-old girl has collapsed almost seven years since she was shot dead in an alleged gang shooting on rival territory. Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was standing with friends on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018, when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire. She died at the scene from internal injuries. On Thursday, Judge Mark Dennis KC discharged jurors in the Old Bailey case of Marcus La Croix, 37, saying issues had arisen during the course of the evidence that needed to be "bottomed out". Mr La Croix had been charged with murder after allegedly making a confession to a fellow inmate, jurors had heard. Judge Dennis said further inquiries were needed following the evidence from two police officers who had taken a witness statement from the prisoner. He spoke of the need for time to carry out the investigation, saying: "If you rush something like this further errors can be made." The case will be listed on 20 June for a case management hearing when the prosecution is expected to announce a decision on whether to seek a retrial. Mr La Croix, from Hackney, had denied murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Girl, 17, murdered in gang retaliation, court told Men deny 2018 'gun for hire' murder of girl Murder victim, 17, 'had no gang links' HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Murder trial collapses seven years after teenager's shooting
The trial of a man for the murder of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake has collapsed almost exactly seven years since she was shot dead in an alleged gang shooting on rival territory. On Thursday, Judge Mark Dennis KC discharged jurors in the Old Bailey case of Marcus La Croix, 37, saying issues had arisen during the course of the evidence that needed to be 'bottomed out'. La Croix had been charged with murder after allegedly making a confession to a fellow inmate, jurors had heard. Judge Dennis said further inquiries were needed following the evidence from two police officers who had taken a witness statement from the prisoner. He spoke of the need for time to carry out the investigation, saying: 'If you rush something like this further errors can be made.' He reassured jurors following news reports suggesting cases could be heard by a judge and two magistrates, saying: 'There will always be jury trials, come what may.' The case will be listed on June 20 for a case management hearing when the prosecution is expected to announce a decision on whether to seek a retrial. Previously, the court had heard how Tanesha had been standing with friends in Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018 when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire. Jurors were shown CCTV allegedly showing an attack on La Croix the day before the shooting by members of a rival gang. The prosecution alleged La Croix was among a group of men who travelled from Wood Green into rival territory before fatal shots were fired. The silver Vauxhall Meriva that the shots were fired from was later set alight outside a housing estate in Barnet, north London. Two years after the shooting, police made a breakthrough in the case when a prisoner at HMP Pentonville, north London, came forward to report an alleged confession, jurors were told. La Croix had been 'boasting' and 'showing off' to fellow inmates in 2020, it was claimed. An inmate told police La Croix admitted the killing after they spent time together and became close, the court was told. He had given evidence in the trial over two days before the two police officers were called as witnesses. La Croix, from Hackney, north London, had denied murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Girl, 17, murdered in gang retaliation, court told
A 17-year-old girl was shot dead in the street during a gang "ride-out" carried out in retaliation to a social media humiliation, a court has heard. Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was standing with friends on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018, when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire. She died at the scene from internal injuries. The court heard she was struck in the chest and collapsed as she told her friend: "I've been shot." Marcus La Croix, 37, and Michael Clarke, 35, who both deny murder, are accused of being in a group of men who travelled into rival territory that night, before fatal shots were fired. Prosecution barrister Jocelyn Ledward KC said the shooting was the result of a long-standing enmity between gangs in Wood Green and Northumberland Park and that Ms Melbourne-Blake may not have been the intended target. Ms Ledward said the shooting followed a "humiliating" attack on Mr La Croix by men linked to the Northumberland Park gang, after which CCTV footage of the assault was shared on social media. She told the Old Bailey the ride-out "was intended to result in death or serious injury - through the use of a self-loading pistol". She said Mr La Croix from Hackney - who is also known as "Bobby Slater" - and Mr Clarke, from Luton, sought revenge the following day. Both men deny murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The trial continues. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Men deny 2018 'gun for hire' murder of girl Murder victim, 17, 'had no gang links' HM Courts and Tribunals Service
The Independent
01-04-2025
- The Independent
Girl, 17, killed in drive-by shooting day after rapper suffered social media humiliation in gang feud, jury told
A 17-year-old girl was killed in drive-by shooting the day after a rapper was beaten and humiliated on social media following a series of violent 'tit for tat' attacks between rival North London gangs, a court has heard. Jurors were told Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, who had been outside playing a 'penny up' game with friends, may not have been the intended target when she was gunned down in Tottenham seven years ago. Marcus La-Croix, 37, who raps under the name 'Bobby Slater', and Michael Clarke, known as 'Da Gaffa', both deny murdering the teenager in a 'ride-out' after La-Croix was attacked by rivals at a diner the night before. The Old Bailey heard how the teenager, who had been dancing and socialising with her friends, was walking up Chalgrove Road, Tottenham, shortly after 9pm on 2 April 2018 when she was shot with a weapon aimed from the rear window of a passing Vauxhall Meriva. Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said she 'selflessly' shouted for her friend to duck before turning to him and saying: 'Jace, I've been shot'. She asked for him to call her mother as she collapsed on the floor, but quickly became pale and stopped breathing, the court heard. By the time police and ambulance crews arrived, a large crowd had gathered. Ms Melbourne-Blake was pronounced dead at 10.43pm after a single bullet wound to her right breast caused 'severe and uncontrollable bleeding', Ms Ledward told the jury, adding that the nature of her injuries suggest she was ducking or leaning forwards when she was hit. Members of the teenager's family left the courtroom as details of her final moments were read out. Witnesses described seeing three bright sparks like 'fireworks' and hearing the 'pap, pap, pap' of three bullets being fired from the vehicle, the court heard. 'There was nothing out of the ordinary about this particular evening, and none of the group knew of any reason why anyone would wish to harm Tanesha or any of them,' Ms Ledward told the jury. The court heard shooting happened amid 'longstanding enmity' and 'extreme levels of violence' between rivals the Northumberland Park Killers (NPK), also known as the 'Sin Squad', and the Wood Green Mob (WGM). In February that year 22-year-old Kwabena Nelson was murdered in Tottenham, in so-called NPK territory, by a killer from Wood Green called Neron Quartey. Just over a month later, Kelvin Odunuyi was shot dead in the Vue Cinema in Wood Green. Nobody has been charged with his murder. Later that same day, a young man from Wood Green stabbed a student multiple times outside Haringey Sixth Form college in Tottenham. 'These incidents give some idea of the extreme levels of violence which characterised the disputes between NPK and WGM in the early part of 2018,' Ms Ledward said. 'But the murder of Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was not merely a continuation of that catalogue of violence - it had its own particular catalyst.' CCTV footage played to the court showed Mr La-Croix, who has links to Wood Green, being subjected to a 'violent, entirely gratuitous, sustained and targeted physical assault with kicks and punches' by four men from Northumberland Park as his girlfriend tried to defend him the day before the shooting. The assault at the Tinsel Town diner in Farringdon in the early hours of 1 April 2018 was filmed and widely circulated on social media in a series of posts 'mocking' Mr La-Croix, including his own account after the attackers stole his mobile phone. 'Some of those posts were recovered by the police, and they give a flavour of the way in which this unprovoked and seemingly unexpected violent attack was turned into a very public humiliation,' Ms Ledward told the court. The prosecution allege that Mr La-Croix and Mr Clarke were both in the car when the fatal shot was fired. Both deny murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. The Old Bailey trial continues.
