Latest news with #ShawshankRedemption
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Listener weekly quiz: June 18
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the Shawshank Redemption (1994). Photo / Supplied Can you score 10 out of 10? Test your general knowledge with the Listener's weekly quiz. Share your score with friends, family and colleagues, and find out who has the sharpest mind.
Edinburgh Live
09-06-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Michael Ross still in 'no man's land' as Prime Video drops Orkney Assassin documentary
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Michael Ross' solicitor has claimed that his client, who maintains his innocence, is stuck in "no man's land" three decades after being convicted of murder. Back in June 1994, a masked figure donning a balaclava entered the Mumataz Restaurant in Kirwall at about 7.10pm and fatally shot 26-year-old waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood before exiting the scene. Despite 14 years going by, Ross, then aged 15, was apprehended and found guilty of the crime in 2008. Following his conviction at the High Court in Glasgow, Ross notoriously attempted to flee but was thwarted and now remains incarcerated for life at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire, as reported by the BBC. Prime Video has recently unveiled a one-off special titled The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles, which includes interviews with officers, eyewitnesses, journalists, and Ross' parents,. In an exclusive chat with Screen Time prior to the documentary airing, Ross' lawyer Aamer Anwar provided an insight into his client's current plight. (Image: PRIME VIDEO/ORKNEY PHOTOGRAPHIC) "I suppose he's very much in no man's land," he commented. "The difficulty with an appeal you've ever watched Shawshank Redemption and Andy comes into prison and Morgan Freeman tells him 'Don't you know everyone's innocent inside'. "But I've come to learn from over 25 years of being a lawyer that the reality is there are lots of innocent people inside prison. "How to prove it is another matter, because the system is almost a raid against human rights throughout the United Kingdom, to be able to fight your appeal and to prove your innocence. "And even if you say you have five pinnacles of evidence, five issues, and one is so critical. "For instance, someone comes in and lies about you and says 'I saw him, that's definitely him.' "But that person is ruled out, 'well we'll still rely on the other four afterwards.' "The damage is already done. So therein lies the problem, as in people remain convicted." Anwar then highlighted the crucial role of DNA in cases like Ross', stating: "The idea that someone could walk into a restaurant, shoot someone at point blank range and not leave anything of themselves, beggar's belief. "I always say to my lecture students, to commit a murder is extremely difficult. "To not leave anything of yourself: footprints, DNA, CCTV maybe, whatever it may be. "Fair enough, this is a remote island but there were still people there. "The idea that this person then disappears into the darkness? Then begs the question that people always said, 'well they never closed the ports of entry and exit.' "Is it somebody from off the island that came on, well how do they know? They didn't." Even though three decades have passed, Ross maintains his innocence, with the former Army sniper having attempted to break out of prison thrice, the latest being in 2018 when he tried to scale a fence. "You still have someone who claims he is innocent, who has never given up that he is innocent, who is still fighting to prove his innocence," Anwar added. "He could have made his life a lot easier by saying 'I did it.' A lot more chance of parole then, a lot more chance of getting out earlier." The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles is available to watch on Prime Video.
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Daily Record
Orkney Assassin living in 'no man's land' as Michael Ross pleads innocence 30 years on
Michael Ross was just 15-years-old when he murdered waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood in Orkney in 1994. Michael Ross' lawyer has described his client's existence as akin to being in "no man's land" while he continues to assert his innocence three decades on. Back in June 1994, an individual donning a balaclava entered the Mumataz Restaurant in Kirkwall at approximately 7.10pm and fatally shot 26-year-old waiter Shamsuddin Mahmood before exiting the premises. Ross, who was a teenager at the time of the crime, was eventually arrested and found guilty of the murder in 2008. Following his guilty verdict, Ross notoriously attempted to flee the High Court in Glasgow but failed and is currently serving a life sentence at HMP Shotts in Lanarkshire, as reported by the BBC. Prime Video has recently unveiled a one-off special titled The Orkney Assassin: Murder In The Isles, which includes interviews with law enforcement officers, eyewitnesses, journalists, and Ross' parents. Speaking exclusively with Screen Time prior to the documentary's premiere, Ross' lawyer Aamer Anwar provided insights into his client's current situation. "I suppose he's very much in no man's land," he stated. "The difficulty with an appeal you've ever watched Shawshank Redemption and Andy comes into prison and Morgan Freeman tells him 'Don't you know everyone's innocent inside'. "But I've come to learn from over 25 years of being a lawyer that the reality is there are lots of innocent people inside prison. "How to prove it is another matter, because the system is almost a raid against human rights throughout the United Kingdom, to be able to fight your appeal and to prove your innocence. "And even if you say you have five pinnacles of evidence, five issues, and one is so critical. "For instance, someone comes in and lies about you and says 'I saw him, that's definitely him.' "But that person is ruled out, 'well we'll still rely on the other four afterwards.'". "The damage is already done. So therein lies the problem, as in people remain convicted." Anwar then highlighted the significance of DNA in cases like Ross', stating: "The idea that someone could walk into a restaurant, shoot someone at point blank range and not leave anything of themselves, beggar's belief. "I always say to my lecture students, to commit a murder is extremely difficult. "To not leave anything of yourself: footprints, DNA, CCTV maybe, whatever it may be. "Fair enough, this is a remote island but there were still people there. "The idea that this person then disappears into the darkness? Then begs the question that people always said, 'well they never closed the ports of entry and exit.' "Is it somebody from off the island that came on, well how do they know? They didn't." Despite three decades having passed, Ross continues to maintain his innocence. The former Army sniper has attempted to break out of prison thrice, with his most recent attempt in 2018 involving an effort to scale a fence. "You still have someone who claims he is innocent, who has never given up that he is innocent, who is still fighting to prove his innocence," Anwar added. "He could have made his life a lot easier by saying 'I did it.' A lot more chance of parole then, a lot more chance of getting out earlier."
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SEC debate with 2026 football schedule expansion: Keep rivalries, or go for cupcake games?
Picture the scene in 'Shawshank Redemption' when Morgan Freeman's character goes in front of the parole board, expecting to be rejected once again. He comments on the mockery of the proceeding and says bluntly, 'You go on and stamp your forms, sonny, and stop wasting my time, because, to tell you the truth, I don't give a (expletive).' Yeah, that just about sums up my feelings on this upcoming SEC football scheduling debate. Advertisement Stay at eight conference games, or go to nine, I don't much care anymore. Just put the schedule format to a vote in what will be a high-profile discussion item this week at the SEC spring meetings and make a decision. As it stands, the SEC has approved no schedule format beyond the upcoming 2025 season. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) runs with the ball against Texas during the second half in the 2024 SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The SEC carried on this scheduling charade for years since the announcement of Texas and Oklahoma joining the league. Some conference members previously pretended like they wanted an additional conference game, only to turtle up come voting time and preserve the eight-game conference schedule that's supplemented with a feast of non-conference cupcake games. Advertisement HEATED MATCHUPS: Ranking the 10 best SEC football rivalries BEHIND CENTER: Breaking down every SEC quarterback situation Before this came up for vote the last time in 2023, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey implied that money wouldn't be a driver in the scheduling decision. Only an idiot would believe that, though. Money talks, and some conference members were reluctant two years ago to add another conference game unless ESPN, the league's media partner, put more cash on the table. ESPN didn't sweeten the pot. Sankey proclaimed before the schedule vote in 2023 that the conference at the vanguard of college athletics 'does not stand still.' Days later, the SEC's membership unanimously voted to stand still with an eight-game conference schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Eighteen months later, the Big Ten, which plays nine conference games, led all conferences with four playoff qualifiers. The jokes write themselves. Rivalries hang in balance of SEC football schedule debate The SEC cared so much about secondary rivalries like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee in its divisional era that it built a schedule format around maintaining those games. This next vote on the schedule will test how much resolve still exists for protecting centuries-long rivalry games. Advertisement A nine-game conference schedule would allow for secondary rivalries like those two and others like Texas-Texas A&M to continue annually. Forging ahead with an eight-game format would put those secondary rivalries under threat of interruption unless the league abandons its stated goal of having all schools play each other twice during a four-year period. Rivalry scenes like the 'Prayer at Jordan-Hare' and cigar-puffing Tennessee fans tearing down the goal posts and baptizing them in the river after a long-awaited win on 'The Third Saturday in October' help make the SEC brand what it is. But, maybe SEC members will decide this week that it's more important to leave room on the schedule for Tennessee to play Furman and Kennesaw State – both will come to Neyland Stadium in 2026! – instead of Alabama, and for Auburn to tussle with Jacksonville State instead of Georgia. And after the Mississippi beats Wofford 92-0 in 2026, coach Lane Kiffin can chant 'S-E-C! S-E-C!' and declare the strength of the SEC (half of which the Rebels didn't play) so strong that the Rebels deserve a playoff bid with their 9-3 record. Few SEC teams opt for 10 power conference games in current format Credit Alabama, Florida and South Carolina for cueing up two Power Four non-conference opponents in 2025 to accompany the eight conference games. If Florida smashes Miami and Florida State en route to a 9-3 record against a rigorous schedule, well, we might see a 9-3 playoff team for the first time. Advertisement By comparison, the 13 other SEC teams will play only nine Power Four opponents. That's one fewer Power Four opponent than teams like Arizona and Central Florida will play. If Missouri can manage to fend off Central Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts, Vanderbilt and one more SEC team, the Tigers would wrap up bowl eligibility. That's the beauty of the eight-game conference schedule: Bowl bids await for average teams that can beat bad teams in their out-of-league slate. The beauty of the SEC adding a ninth conference game would be the creation of more matchups fans want to watch and media partners want to televise. Advertisement One fewer cupcake game also would bolster the SEC's case when it comes time to stump for at-large bids for bubble teams. Even better, ESPN might now be ready to fork over extra revenue in exchange for that ninth SEC game. The SEC could even time its rollout of a ninth conference game with playoff expansion that's probably coming in 2026. A bigger playoff would reduce the risk of an additional conference game thwarting a team's opportunity for playoff access. Alternatively, the SEC could stay at eight, turn up its nose at rivalries, rebuff the prospect of a bigger payday from ESPN, protect the cupcake games, and maintain the daintier conference schedule that offers minimal resistance to the league's weaker members securing a Liberty Bowl bid. Advertisement At this point, there's not much left to debate. So, go on ahead, sonny, and call it to a vote. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ Follow him on X @btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC football schedule expansion debate looms at spring meetings
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SEC debate with 2026 football schedule expansion: Keep rivalries, or go for cupcake games?
Picture the scene in 'Shawshank Redemption' when Morgan Freeman's character goes in front of the parole board, expecting to be rejected once again. He comments on the mockery of the proceeding and says bluntly, 'You go on and stamp your forms, sonny, and stop wasting my time, because, to tell you the truth, I don't give a (expletive).' Yeah, that just about sums up my feelings on this upcoming SEC football scheduling debate. Stay at eight conference games, or go to nine, I don't much care anymore. Just put the schedule format to a vote in what will be a high-profile discussion item this week at the SEC spring meetings and make a decision. As it stands, the SEC has approved no schedule format beyond the upcoming 2025 season. The SEC carried on this scheduling charade for years since the announcement of Texas and Oklahoma joining the league. Some conference members previously pretended like they wanted an additional conference game, only to turtle up come voting time and preserve the eight-game conference schedule that's supplemented with a feast of non-conference cupcake games. HEATED MATCHUPS: Ranking the 10 best SEC football rivalries BEHIND CENTER: Breaking down every SEC quarterback situation Before this came up for vote the last time in 2023, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey implied that money wouldn't be a driver in the scheduling decision. Only an idiot would believe that, though. Money talks, and some conference members were reluctant two years ago to add another conference game unless ESPN, the league's media partner, put more cash on the table. ESPN didn't sweeten the pot. Sankey proclaimed before the schedule vote in 2023 that the conference at the vanguard of college athletics 'does not stand still.' Days later, the SEC's membership unanimously voted to stand still with an eight-game conference schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Eighteen months later, the Big Ten, which plays nine conference games, led all conferences with four playoff qualifiers. The jokes write themselves. The SEC cared so much about secondary rivalries like Auburn-Georgia and Alabama-Tennessee in its divisional era that it built a schedule format around maintaining those games. This next vote on the schedule will test how much resolve still exists for protecting centuries-long rivalry games. A nine-game conference schedule would allow for secondary rivalries like those two and others like Texas-Texas A&M to continue annually. Forging ahead with an eight-game format would put those secondary rivalries under threat of interruption unless the league abandons its stated goal of having all schools play each other twice during a four-year period. Rivalry scenes like the 'Prayer at Jordan-Hare' and cigar-puffing Tennessee fans tearing down the goal posts and baptizing them in the river after a long-awaited win on 'The Third Saturday in October' help make the SEC brand what it is. But, maybe SEC members will decide this week that it's more important to leave room on the schedule for Tennessee to play Furman and Kennesaw State – both will come to Neyland Stadium in 2026! – instead of Alabama, and for Auburn to tussle with Jacksonville State instead of Georgia. And after the Mississippi beats Wofford 92-0 in 2026, coach Lane Kiffin can chant 'S-E-C! S-E-C!' and declare the strength of the SEC (half of which the Rebels didn't play) so strong that the Rebels deserve a playoff bid with their 9-3 record. Credit Alabama, Florida and South Carolina for cueing up two Power Four non-conference opponents in 2025 to accompany the eight conference games. If Florida smashes Miami and Florida State en route to a 9-3 record against a rigorous schedule, well, we might see a 9-3 playoff team for the first time. By comparison, the 13 other SEC teams will play only nine Power Four opponents. That's one fewer Power Four opponent than teams like Arizona and Central Florida will play. If Missouri can manage to fend off Central Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts, Vanderbilt and one more SEC team, the Tigers would wrap up bowl eligibility. That's the beauty of the eight-game conference schedule: Bowl bids await for average teams that can beat bad teams in their out-of-league slate. The beauty of the SEC adding a ninth conference game would be the creation of more matchups fans want to watch and media partners want to televise. One fewer cupcake game also would bolster the SEC's case when it comes time to stump for at-large bids for bubble teams. Even better, ESPN might now be ready to fork over extra revenue in exchange for that ninth SEC game. The SEC could even time its rollout of a ninth conference game with playoff expansion that's probably coming in 2026. A bigger playoff would reduce the risk of an additional conference game thwarting a team's opportunity for playoff access. Alternatively, the SEC could stay at eight, turn up its nose at rivalries, rebuff the prospect of a bigger payday from ESPN, protect the cupcake games, and maintain the daintier conference schedule that offers minimal resistance to the league's weaker members securing a Liberty Bowl bid. At this point, there's not much left to debate. So, go on ahead, sonny, and call it to a vote. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ Follow him on X @btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC football schedule expansion debate looms at spring meetings
