Stephen died when he and a friend were attacked at a bus stop by a gang of youths hurling abuse.
After police failed to convict anyone of the murder, an inquiry was launched into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the case. The inquiry, published in 1999, concluded that the police force was “institutionally racist”. It is commonly suggested that Stephen’s murder was racially motivated.
Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, will face a jury in a trial at the Old Bailey. But first the jury has to be selected from a pool of potential candidates. The case is expected to be opened later this week, and will probably last until Christmas.
Both Dobson and Norris deny involvement in the murder, which happened when they were teenagers.
The Stephen Lawrence Centre in London was set up in the teenager’s memory, and aims at investing in the future of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
