News Archive 2004
12 October 2004
Campaign activities update
The profile of the campaign was again boosted
by the annual gathering of Kirsty's fans at Soho Square in London,
with many generous donations and auctioned items attracting healthy
prices. Fred Shortland asked the fans to continue sending postcards
to México, and to continue to lobby their MPs. Every one of these
letters sent to MPs has to be followed up due to the parliamentary
process. and they are all escalated into the Foreign Office. Jean
also reiterated her appeal for support before the fans headed towards
the pub for some refreshments and to celebrate Kirsty's life in
the now traditional fashion - a sing-song.
Last Friday Jean also appeared on the Kelly Show
on Ulster television, which attracted a large response from viewers.
We have learned that the BBC documentary attracted
the largest viewing figures for any documentary feature on the
channel, and on the days it was shown there was a massive increase
in traffic to both this website and Kirsty's own site (www.kirstymaccoll.com).
The Q&A
responses from Jean and BBC viewers is now online.
14 September 2004
 Documentary
screens September 24-26 on BBC4
The documentary "Who Killed Kirsty
MacColl" will be screened on BBC4 this month: Friday
24th at 22:00, Saturday 25th at 01:40 and 23:00, also Sunday
26th at 03:00.
The BBC4 Interactive website
for the documentary is now live and includes an interview
with the director, Olivia Lichtenstein, and also a Q&A
session with Kirsty's mother Jean.
The BBC documentary "The Life and
Songs of Kirsty MacColl" (first shown on BBC2 in
January 2001) is reshown on Friday 24 September at 21:00, and
Saturday 25th at midnight.
14 September 2004
All Party Parliamentary Group on México supports the campaign
Following our appeal for supporters to write to their MPs we are
pleased to advise that as a result we were contacted by a member
of the group who met with Jean MacColl for a full
briefing. Our concerns were raised by the group who met the Méxican
Minister of Foreign
Affairs and the Méxican Ambassador to the UK on Monday 13th of August.
It was encouraging to note that the Minister was fully aware
of the Justice for Kirsty Campaign and agreed to review matters
and take action if there was any hint of corruption.
We will of course have to wait and see but as far as the campaign
is concerned, we have thanks to our loyal and committed supporters
been able to raise awareness at the highest
levels of Government both in México and the UK. What happens now
is down to the Méxican
Judiciary!
Our sincere thanks to all our supporters who contacted their MPs.
For those who have not yet contacted their MPs via www.faxyourmp.com or
other means, could you please do so as it is important to get as
many MPs involved as possible and for those that did please continue
to maintain contact and copy us with any responses.
Letter writing does work! Please keep up the pressure
With thanks
Jean MacColl
9 September 2004
Buy Kirsty prints and assist the Justice Campaign
Photographer (and long time friend of Kirsty)
Charlie Dickins has decided to make some of his photos of Kirsty
available for sale, with some of the proceeds going into the
Campaign fund. See his new website at www.kirstyprints.com for
details.
28 August 2004
"Who Killed Kirsty MacColl?" premieres
at Edinburgh TV Festival
The premiere of the BBC4 film "Who Killed
Kirsty MacColl" took place at the Edinburgh International
Conference Centre, with a guest panel of (L to R) Jean MacColl,
producer Olivia Lichtenstein, Senior Commissioning Executive Richard
Klein and chair Stephen Armstrong, Sunday Times critic.
The film itself was an excellent and compelling
piece of work, starting with Kirsty's life story (including some
rare TV appearances) before turning to focus on the events surrounding
Kirsty's death and its aftermath, including eye witness accounts
and coverage of the campaign team's mission to Cozumel and México
City earlier this year. Contributors included Jean, James Knight,
Steve Lillywhite, Louis Lillywhite, Fred Shortland, John Dalby,
Philip Rambow, Charles Dickins, Demetrio Guerra and eye witnesses
from Cozumel.
 The
Q&A session revealed that the film was created as an emotional
travelogue rather than a purely investigative reportage, playing
to the strengths of Lichtenstein's style. It was also explained
that the British Foreign Office had been initially reluctant to
lend their support to the campaign, in response to a question from
the floor. Jean MacColl presented her case for the continuing pursuit
of justice forcefully.
The film will air nationwide in the UK on BBC4
in late September, with a likely screening on BBC2 at a later date.
22 August 2004
Important news for UK Campaign supporters -
Call for new letter writing action
APPG ON MEXICO ESTABLISHED AT THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
An APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group for México) was established
on 21st of July 2004 at the Palace of Westminster. 48 Parliamentarians
from all political parties in both the House of Commons & House
of Lords established this group. The Aim is to strengthen relations
between México & the UK. The Méxican Ambassador to the UK Sr
Bremer said, " I celebrate the creation of group because it
offers a permanent channel of communication to peruse political
dialogue between our countries".
The officers are Andrew Love MP (Chair) Liberal Democrat Peer
Baroness Miller (Vice Chair), John Wilkinson MP (Sec), Anthony
Steen MP as treasurer.
This is excellent news for Justice for Kirsty Campaign
- Why?
APPG's offer a specialist-dedicated channel of communication
for México . As an All Party Group all Members are free to join.
Justice for Kirsty has volunteers experienced in working with APPG's.
This Group will have a direct line to the Méxican Embassy and a
great deal of influence as it represents House of Commons & House
of Lords.
It will enable us to increase campaign capacity via formal diplomatic
channels and put a great deal of pressure on the Méxican Embassy
in London and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in México which is urgently
required.
What do we want you to do?
Please write to your local MP via www.faxyourmp.com -
a free service - pointing out your concerns about the gross miscarriage
of justice in Kirsty MacColl case and lack of progress by the Méxican
authorities.
Invite them to visit our website www.justiceforkirsty.org to
obtain the latest information and invite them to join the new APPG
on México by contacting Andrew Love MP to represent your interests
in the case as their constituent.
Please write in your own words as MP's do not respond well to
standard letters a personal approach is much more effective. If
you need any further information or support please contact us for
guidance. Please copy us with your request and forward any replies
so we may measure the response.
Thanking you for your continued and invaluable support.
Jean MacColl
18 August 2004
The campaign is featured in BBC
News Online, in addition there was an interview with
Jean MacColl on BBC Radio 4 Womans Hour this week. The Sunday
Herald also featured the campaign on the 22nd.
1 August 2004
The campaign continues to attract media attention
with a major piece by Alix Kirsta in The Telegraph -
and in The
Times, Sky
News, The Express and the Daily
Record.
These follow articles in the past week in the Croydon
Guardian, Reuters, Yahoo, The
Malaysia Star, BBC, NME and
the Irish
Examiner. Jean has been interviewed on BBC London News and
Sky News. Last weekend's Times and Sunday
Times carried an updated feature by Karin Goodwin on
the progress of the Campaign.
21 July 2004
The one hour BBC documentary "Justice For Kirsty" is
to be featured in the Edinburgh
Television Festival on 27/28 August. The BBC's Olivia Lichtenstein
will be the guest panellist, Kirsty's mother Jean will also be
attending.
"Singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl was enjoying
a particularly happy and creative time in her both personal and
professional life, when on 18th December 2000, she was killed by
a speed boat belonging to one of México’s wealthiest businessmen.
Featuring explosive new evidence, Justice for Kirsty is the moving
story of 80 year old Jean MacColl’s search for the truth
about her daughter’s untimely death and her attempts to bring
those she believes are responsible to justice."
The documentary will be screened on BBC4 in the Autumn.
Meanwhile Spain has joined the Campaign through Juan
Remarque, who runs a big music web site from Tenerife and is very
keen to be part of us.
2 June 2004
Sport Diver magazine – The
magazine of the PADI Diving
Society - featured the campaign in its May 2004 edition.
30 May 2004
Jean MacColl has decided to make public a letter she wrote to
Guillermo Gonzalez Nova.
Read the letter and find
out why she has published it.
18 April 2004
Jean has prepared a message to
all campaign supporters.
4 April 2004
El
Universal carries a feature by Corrie MacLaggan online.
1 April 2004
The Times newspaper carries an article by
Elizabeth Mistry about the México trip. (If the link does not work,
you can also read the article here)
17 March 2004
México City: meetings with the Méxican Authorities
Jean shaking hands with Lic Daniel
F. Cabeza de Vaca Hernandez, Minister responsible for judicial
matters, Human Rights at the Ministry of Government.
With Dr Gabriel Szekely at the Méxican
Ministry of Tourism.
With MA. De Lourdez Aranda, Minister
at the Méxican Foreign Office.
At the British Embassy in México
City with Mr Mark Kent, representative of the British Ambassador
to México.
L to R: Demetrio Guerra (JFK Lawyer),
Jean MacColl, John Dalby, Fred Shortland at Los Pinos - the Offical
Residence of President Fox.
The Justice for Kirsty Campaign moved on from Cozumel to México
City on Monday 15th. This heralded the second phase of the trip,
which involved pursuing the authorities.
In one week Jean and her colleagues have been able to voice
their concerns in unprecedented meetings at the very highest
level. This has included briefing senior ministers at The Méxican
Foreign Office, The Ministry of Tourism, The British FCO, The
Attorney General’s office and at Los Pinos, the official
residence of Presidente Fox.
The Committee has been heartened and bolstered by the reception
they received. The Méxican Authorities have been unswerving in
their pledges and determination to help, and the JFK party have
been suitably convinced that there will be some real change in
Méxican law enforcement that will endeavour to protect against
any possible re-occurrence of the tragedy that befell the MacColl
family. The Ministers have been attentive, compassionate and
understanding; all of which has been of great comfort to Jean.
For the first time in three and a half years Jean has been apologised
to and has been offered sympathy for her family’s loss.
The achievements of the party have been extraordinary on all
fronts; diplomatic, political and legal.
The Campaign must now change its focus to raising funds to ensure
that the costs involved in continuing the legal battle to get
Justice for Kirsty and to secure a fitting tribute to her memory
can be met.
Jean has achieved something quite extraordinary, something that
would have made Kirsty extremely proud and something that is
inspirational to all. The two weeks spent in México must be seen
as an unmitigated success.
12 March 2004
A Triumph for the Justice for Kirsty Campaign
 Jean MacColl waves her papers triumphantly as she
emerges from the Federal Prosecutor's office in Cozumel, México
on March 12.
Accompanied by lawyer Demetrio Guerra and Campaign supporter Fred
Shortland, Jean began her legal fight to call Kirsty's killers
to account.
Jean presented a dossier of new evidence to the Federal Prosecutor.
The stunned official immediately rejected the dossier, but Lawyer
Guerra persuaded him to examine the contents carefully.
A gruelling three-hour wait ensued while the Federal Prosecutor
read the file: eventually he accepted the documents.
We believe the Federal Prosecutor will feel compelled to notify
Jean that he accepts the evidence and will start a new investigation.
After three years of campaigning the jubilant trio told their
waiting supporters that the next phase was under way. With the
stakes high, the Campaign must continue to raise money to fund
the vital task of scruitinising the newly launched legal process.
10 March 2004
A Memorial for Kirsty in Cozumel
 Kirsty's mother, Jean MacColl, led a deeply poignant
memorial ceremony at the place over the coral reef where Kirsty
died.
A small launch carried Jean and a dozen supporters from the simple
jetty at Playa Corona. Jean cast a beautiful wreath of tropical
flowers onto the sea. It bore a ribbon with the simple inscription:
Kirsty - Goodbye to an Angel.
Then the group listened to family friend John Dalby speak a moving
verse of remembrance from one of Kirsty's songs.
 Each member of the party dropped a single
rose after the wreath. A few minutes of silent contemplation and
tears followed as people in the group each remembered Kirsty in
their own hearts. Then, as the sun set over the limpid water the
launch returned to the pier.
Photos: Charles Dickins
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