Sherrard Conversation | Art Not Evidence

Tuesday 22 October 2024

Keir Monteith KC and Master Shami Chakrabarti will discuss how the prosecution deploy Rap and Drill music in an attempt to prove criminal gang membership, motive and intent.

In a 2017 murder trial the judge directed the jury ‘The issue is whether or not participation or possession of that video is something from which you could infer membership or allegiance to the AO gang,’. In a 2022 conspiracy to murder trial the prosecution closed with the following remarks ‘the last four defendants appear to have become involved in this gang culture perhaps more on the periphery than the others, but for a number of different reasons. Because of the area in which they lived, because they had an interest in drill rap with its themes of violence, drugs and criminality that we have heard about’. 

The conversation will explore the work that Art Not Evidence has conducted on this topic and in particular their draft legislation to limit the use of creative expression in criminal proceedings; the issue of institutional racism – whether this drives the use of rap and drill as evidence and the ramifications for freedom of speech.

Please see the below links for some pre reading and listening on the subject.

Art Not Evidence

'Jailed over a group chat'

Watch - 'Jailed over a group chat'

'Convictions of seven black teenagers was influenced by racism and 'cultural ignorance', court told'

'One death, 11 jailed teenagers: was a Moss Side murder trial racist?'

'DonFlamez X Ghost X KDon X ShakDon - Active (Music Video)'