At last after 18 years, two men (Gary Dobson and David Norris) have been convicted and sentenced to at least 14.3 and 15.3 years in prison.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16315568

The victim was a cultured innocent Caribbean boy, waiting for a bus. I lived for 17 years within 2 Km of this bus stop, and so I have been following the many trials rather closely. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16348304

Two out of how many still yet to be convicted -

for the necessary evidence to convict the others, people need to come forward, but either live in fear or are connected to them.

Now it is a couple of steps in the right direction. It will not bring Stephen back, but we hope that another young man/woman finds life a safer world.

I worked in Lewisham, that as you aware not far from Eltham, for a few years after this happened. During the day it was a safe place, lots of pensioners came to the shopping centre there for a day out. We had a saying, make sure you are out of Lewisham before 9pm on a Friday.

They now have a Huge Police Station / Centre in Lewisham

Yes there are three more suspects, but as the BBC explains, the police inquiries did nothing to bring anyone to justice. It is shameful, but today the London police have improved and are not quite so racist.

After 18 years, and a change in the law, two men have been convicted on DNA evidence, using recently improved DNA testing, which can isolate the tiniest spot of blood. The other three have escaped due to the appalling police disinterest in 1993 and of course because they escaped the blood spurting from Lawrence's body.

The huge police station in Lewisham (It used to be the Chiesman's department store) is today a major operational centre for all the Metropolitan police.

I worked for a software house supplying (crap) software to local government. When we visited Lewisham, we were advised not to leave the premises on our own, especially after dark.

I was a student in Eltham some 20 odd years ago and it wasn't a dangerous place to live rather nice actually. My friend lived in Lewisham for many years as well although was relieved to have made the decision to move back to Wales with her young son when the riots broke out this year. Racism is everywhere sadly. How awful though to having to live with this sort of information everyday on your conscience but be so victimized that you can't speak out.

A small sense of justice for his parents but as you so rightly point out just not enough.

Worked for Large International Org, that had super security. In the daytime mon-fri never had any problem. As you say after dark, would not hang around, if it was late when I was going to car park, 7pm ish, would phone the security, although they had cameras, just felt safer knowing they were watching.

There was this very nice young Indian chap who worked in my dept, he also lived in Lewisham, it suited him not to have to travel far to work. One weekend he went off shopping to another area for some videos, on his return to Lewisham, he was stopped by 3 young chaps, he sensibly did not resist, they searched him, not impressed he only had £10 in his wallet, that they took along with his videos - he had the English in our department in fits of laughter, as could you imagine them going around pubs trying to sell Tamil videos. He was not hurt, but others hearing the story in India, did not want to live in his flat after he left.

Lewisham became more popular about 10 years with property prices going up when the DLR came there, so handy for those in Canary Wharf, though more people would choose to live in Blackheath, Greenwich or Eltham, possible changing their public transport at Lewisham

I am happy that Stephen's dignified parents have at last been able to see some justice done. Now they just have to nail the other three ...

Talking of the area; I went to university in New Cross (Goldsmiths') and lived in various flats there for five years or so. Being fresh up from Cornwall it was a bit of a culture shock but I have to say that I never encountered any problems there at all.

I have to laugh at cultured and innocent, he was nothing of the sort.

That said, no one deserves to be killed and murdered in cold blood, and justice should be served.

The death penalty would not be enough for any cowardly murders.

Really? Did you know him?

Me personally no, I'm bit younger. I lived in new eltham for a while. But I know a lot of people who did. Soee more than others. I.e. I know people he sold drugs to, he was a known small time pusher. I know of people he had mugged with his little gang.

People like to say the police are racist. They're not and they weren't, bur they knew what this kid was about, sadly there are ten to a penny in south London now. Obviously there are far deeper social issues to why so many black youths end up in this life in London but that's a whole other discussion.

I am not condoning the killing or anything, merely pointing out that he was hardly the church attending quiet boy he is portrayed to be.

Oh and I have family in the met

/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13441122

Interesting profile of Stephen Lawrence ... not quite a Saint (what 17 year old boy is) but certainly not the sinner of JordanBarrZurich86's report.

At the time there were rumours that he was a drug dealer taken down by rivals.. all later proven to be false and part of a malicious smear campaign. The facts are that he had no criminal record and a very promising future ahead of him.

Thanks for that, Castro. Perhaps JordanBarr should reconsider any information that he has gleaned from 'his family in the met' who, it would appear, have acted with the utmost indiscretion, not to mention lack of confidentiality. (That is assuming that his allegations are true.)

A Swiss German Quote translated to English comes to mind here.

"From hearing what people say, one learns how to lie".

I'll ask me hubby tomorrow for the Swiss German translation.

I never said he was killed in drug rivalry.

You can believe whatever you like, doesn't affect my life. Just saying he wasn't the saint he is portrayed, yet what happened to him was a disgrace to humanity.

Police say they have since received new information

BBC