Mark Alexander finds himself in very tragic circumstances, having been wrongly convicted of his father’s murder in 2010 while he was still at university, studying law. Mark has always maintained his innocence and both sides of his family support calls for his conviction to be overturned. We are extremely concerned that Mark was found guilty on the basis of doubt created about his version of events rather than any evidence of his involvement in a murder. No such evidence exists. There is no known cause, or date, of death – and there were no traces of DNA, blood, or even fingerprints linking Mark to the crime. Significant questions remain unanswered too about his father’s mysterious, criminal lifestyle, which has only recently come to light and will likely prove critical to understanding what really happened. Those of us who know Mark, or have met him even once, will appreciate the absurdity of this situation; the weakness of the prosecution, and how the jury were misled during the trial.
Having spent over a decade in prison for a murder he did not commit, Mark is being doubly-punished for having passed-up a charge bargain that would have seen him freed many years ago on manslaughter. Plenty of new evidence has since been discovered, yet he still languishes needlessly in prison, in part due to flawed legal thresholds in England & Wales currently under review by the Law Commission. Every day Mark is forced to wait is another day of his life wasted. His family just want him safely home. Join us as we follow his progress, and raise awareness of his plight.
Click on the ‘Overview’ tab to discover the facts behind this appalling injustice. Below, you’ll find links to recent press coverage of the case, as well as expressions of concern from public figures and support organisations who have studied the evidence for themselves.
Putting his time to good use has been an important part of Mark’s journey and survival over the long and difficult years he has spent in prison. From his modest cell, Mark has completed both bachelors and masters degrees in law, and uses his skills to help others inside, whilst campaigning for penal and criminal justice reform.
Sir Terry Waite CBE
I am disturbed by the conviction of Mark. Over the course of my life I have been in contact with many prisoners who claim they have been unjustly convicted. I fully appreciate that not all who approach me are truthful, but it is said that between six and seven percent of those convicted are innocent and ought not to be in jail. I fully understand what a difficult task it is for an innocent prisoner to appeal. It is a long and costly process. It is also difficult for those who have to determine the fate of a man or woman claiming wrongful conviction.
I have known Mark Alexander for almost ten years. I have studied his case and spoken personally with him many times. The evidence given against him was circumstantial, as was pointed out by the Judge in his case. I find it difficult to believe that a complete forensic examination was conducted before the jury found him guilty by majority verdict. In recent years new evidence has emerged which throws even further doubt on the safety of his conviction.
Alas, the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slowly and Mark, still a young man, remains incarcerated – denied access to an open prison because, in the eyes of the authorities, he refuses to accept his guilt. In the past 12 years he has achieved academic distinction, but his continued imprisonment in a secure establishment means he may not be able to study for a doctorate.
Mark’s case certainly raises reasonable doubt in my mind, and ought to be reviewed without further delay.
Rt. Hon. Mark Field (former MP for Cities of London and Westminster)
I am supportive of Mr Alexander receiving a re-trial in light of the lack of conclusive evidence.
The Steeple Times backs calls for a review without further delay of the conviction of Mark Alexander, a conviction based on a very much botched investigation. Not one iota of forensic evidence links him to the murder, and much of the police case against him was based on the word of ‘suspicious neighbours’ with attitudes akin to characters from the TV drama series Midsomer Murders. The convicted man’s father, Samuel, had a string of at least eleven aliases, and was a known confidence trickster, cautioned for shoplifting in 1995, and involved in mortgage frauds involving a number of properties. As his son tellingly remarked, “Dad always seemed to be running or hiding from something”
PPMI (Progressing Prisoners Maintaining Innocence)
Another example of typical factors in a wrongful conviction: no forensic evidence, impossible time frame for the crime to be committed, witness put off by the police, important witnesses not interviewed, lurid allegations in the Press published before they could be countered, all racked up by such sad personal circumstances.
SAFARI (Supporting All Falsely Accused with Reference Information)
This is a case which clearly requires a thorough investigation to find the real perpetrator. There is obviously very serious doubt as to whether this crime was committed by Mark.
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This is the worst error of Justice and Mark has lost so much of his life. He has continued to study and better his education but what he needs now is to have his sentence overturned and to be FREE. Such a waste of a life
Yet again another massive miscarriage of justice and somebody has their life torn apart by our incompetent justice system… Mark has always maintained his innocence and so with lack of any DNA or forensic evidence surely this is an unsafe conviction and needs to be corrected. Far too often this has happened and then criticism appears for not taking a bargain for a lesser sentence. Its time our justice system did what it was supposed to do, instead of taking away an innocent persons life and liberty. FreeMarkAlexander and put right the Terrible mistake that was made.
Hello,
I am a postgraduate student of Criminology and Criminal Psychology, I have finished my degree on Criminology, and I must admit that this case has deeply saddened me. Based on my knowledge about criminal investigations, I am still so confused as to how is Mark still in prison. First of all, innocent until proven guilty was definitely not applied in this case. If a case lacks of evidence to support and prove that the convicted individual is guilty then my question is why the criminal justice system still tolerates this miscarriage of justice? By the time new evidence had been found to show that really there are and were not enough evidence to convict someone of murder then Mark’s convictions should have definitely been overturned until all evidence prove Mark committed the crime with no reasonable doubt. A grossly police malpractice has occurred in this case, over-reliance on evidence given by an expert witness – entomologist – ignoring all the important evidence.
I could talk for hours about this case. It is a big betrayal by the criminal justice system towards the public.
The fact that both sides of the family support quashing the conviction is compelling. From what I can tell – and from one who has been through a similar fire – Mark would have been trying to answer original investigators’ questions while grieving his father in his own way. That can be low-hanging fruit for some in authority, who favour conviction numbers over the truth. Terry Waite is a staunch ally, as are the wonderful Progressing Prisoners Maintaining Innocence (PPMI). I wish Mark all the best and you have my full support in your application to appeal
I just feel dreadfully sorry for anyone wrongfully convicted and their fight for justice to be served. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be incarcerated for something you are not guilty of. The fact that Mark refused to accept a charge bargain which would have set him free is surely proof enough that he is innocent.