Age: unknown
Sex: male
Date: 31 Dec 2001
Place: OaKlands Estate, Clapham, London
Michael French was stabbed at a party.
A man was tried for his murder but acquitted.
Michael French had been at a party on New Year’s Eve when two men burst into the flat and accused Michael French of stealing some money. One of the men was then seen to lunge towards Michael French and punch at him twice but it was found that the man had had a knife wrapped up in a cloth of some description and he had stabbed Michael French twice.
It was said that the other people at the party had been taking drugs.
He was taken to King's College Hospital by air ambulance where an operation was carried out but he died at 8am. The stab wounds had penetrated his chest and damaged a large artery and he had died from internal bleeding.
A man was charged with his murder but he said that he had left the party earlier to go to Tulse Hill to buy some crack cocaine. He said that he had been at the party earlier and had been outside at one point smoking a spliff but said that he went off to buy drugs and Michael French had gone back into the party.
