The Crime Agents "The police shot my mother" - one man's fight for justice
Nov 6, 2025
Lee Lawrence, the son of Cherry Groce, shares his harrowing firsthand account of the 1985 police shooting that left his mother paralyzed. He discusses the explosive community impact and the resulting uprisings across London. Lee opens up about the long-term trauma and his relentless pursuit of justice, including the struggles with legal aid and the significance of the West Yorkshire report. In a transformative turn, he chooses mediation to foster accountability and now collaborates with police for meaningful reform, aiming to prevent history from repeating itself.
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Morning Raid That Changed A Life
- Lee Lawrence describes waking to a raid and seeing his mother shot while an officer demanded a son who didn't live there.
- He remembers his mum saying she couldn't breathe and fearing she would die, which launched community outrage and unrest.
Childhood Traumatized By Police Raid
- Lee was 11 when the Met raided his home, pointing a gun at him and shouting for his brother Michael who didn't live there.
- The officers destroyed the house, rushed Cherry to hospital, and the community learned of her death leading to protests.
Trauma Reinforced By Repeated Policing
- The shooting reinforced Lee's view that policing treated Black people differently and ended his childhood aspiration to be a cop.
- Repeated stop-and-search and arrests without conviction deepened his mistrust and trauma.
