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Murder suspect Lawrence Johnson filmed being attacked and robbed in Walton prison

A video shared online appears to show Lawrence Johnson, 26, charged over the killing of Alisha Samuels in Manchester, being assaulted and robbed by inmates at HMP Liverpool (Walton). The Ministry of Justice says it is investigating how a phone got into the prison.

2 outlets · 1L · 0C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Metro
Image: Daily Mail

1 / 2

The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2A video widely shared online appears to show Lawrence Johnson, 26, who is accused of murdering Alisha Samuels, being threatened, punched and robbed by other inmates in a cell at HMP Liverpool, known as Walton prison. Mixed · 2The person filming is heard saying 'Bro, you're getting chopped up' and 'Smash him up', and an inmate then says 'Take his s*** off him'. Metro reports an unidentified prisoner punched Johnson several times. Mixed · 2Metro says the assault took place over the weekend, while the Daily Mail says it happened just days after Johnson entered prison and uses cautious wording such as 'appears to' and 'allegedly'.

Mixed · 2A Ministry of Justice spokesperson, quoted by Metro from the Liverpool Echo, said violence would not be tolerated and the incident was 'swiftly dealt with'. The spokesperson called having a phone in prison unacceptable and said the posts had been ordered removed while officials investigate how this happened. Mixed · 2Police were called to Dorking Avenue in Newton Heath, Manchester, at about 2am on 15 October and found Ms Samuels, 26, with stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Left · 1Johnson was charged with her murder and the attempted murder of a man. Metro says armed officers arrested him in Bootle on 19 October and he was remanded in custody after appearing at Manchester Magistrates' Court on 21 October.

Left · 1Two other men, Carl Hardy, 19, of Shaldon Drive, Manchester, and Tony Evans, 19, of Dorking Avenue, were also charged with murder and attempted murder. They were remanded in custody and appeared in court on 23 October. Mixed · 2Detective Chief Inspector Justin Bryant of Greater Manchester Police, the senior investigating officer, said his thoughts were with her family. In the Daily Mail's account he urged anyone with information to come forward. Mixed · 2Friends have paid tribute to Ms Samuels as a 'beautiful soul'. Metro reports that a fundraiser for her parents had raised nearly £16,500 of a £20,000 target.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Metro reports the prison assault as a factual news item, with a detailed account of the case: arrests, charges, court dates and all three defendants.
Emphasis
The case timeline, police statement, the friend's tribute and the fundraiser.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not stress the prison-safety angle beyond the Ministry of Justice statement.
For example
“A man accused of the murder of a young woman has been robbed and assaulted at HMP Liverpool in Walton.” — Metro

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right1 outlet

Framing
The Daily Mail leads with the attack on the suspect, describing the victim as 'innocent' and the killing as in 'the street', and uses hedged wording about the video.
Emphasis
The viral video, the victim's character through friends' and a neighbour's tributes, and the police appeal.
Leaves out or plays down
Leaves out the arrest details and the court dates, and does not say when the video was filmed beyond 'days after entering prison'.
Charged language
“innocent woman”“viral”
For example
“A man suspected of murdering an innocent woman in the street appears to have been attacked and robbed just days after entering prison.” — Daily Mail

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