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I Am
Emma Humphreys
Listen on
Friday 25 September 2009
9.00-10.00pm on BBC RADIO 4
Emma Humphreys was a pretty, upbeat, endearing
young woman who had a tragically short life. She had been
in 11 children's homes, was beaten, abused, went on the
run and self-harmed. At 16 years old, she moved in with
Trevor Armitage and, by the time she was 17, she had killed
him. She was charged with murder, said nothing in her defence
and was sentenced to life.
This play is a true story and presents
the raw account of Emma's life and how her case changed
the law and may contribute to further controversial changes
in the defence laws for murder, currently going through
Parliament.
While working at East Sutton Park Open
Prison, writer Shelley Silas met Harriet Wistrich, now one
of the UK's leading human rights lawyers and part of the
team currently representing the family of Jean Charles de
Menezes. She also met journalist Julie Bindel who handled
Emma's press campaign. Together in 1991 they set up Justice
For Women. They inspired Shelley to write a play about Emma
Humphreys.
Joanne Froggatt plays Emma, Stephen Critchlow
plays Trevor Armitage, Delroy Brown plays Stuart, Susan
Jameson plays Vera Baird, Lynne Verrall plays Harriet Wistrich,
Stephen Hogan plays the Judge in Nottingham and David Hargreaves
is Lord Justice Hirst.
Producer/Claire Grove
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