Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson was a homeless 22-year-old when – on the basis of his nickname – he was charged with the brutal 1988 abduction, rape, and murder of Janine Balding. Two years later, he was sentenced to life in prison, where he remains to this day. Yet the major evidence against him was an apparent confession transcribed by detectives as a ‘record of interview’ – under conditions that have now been acknowledged at the highest levels to pose a significant risk of ‘verballing’ (presenting a confession that was never really made).
A brief account of the story: https://theconversation.com/new-linguistics-research-casts-doubt-on-decades-old-murder-conviction-267425
Preview a 60 Minutes episode about the case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz9dU9XLdLQ
The Panel:
Peter Breen
Solicitor, former politician, long-time supporter of Stephen Jamieson.
Author of Shorty: Mistaken Identity or Stitch-Up (Wilkinson Publishing) https://www.wilkinsonpublishing.com.au/product/shorty/
Recent guest on podcast Australian True Crime episode ‘Never to be released?’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iomc4Yl1ydY
Professor Michele Ruyters
Director of Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative (BOHII) https://bohii.net/
Currently investigating Stephen Jamieson’s case https://bohii.net/stephen-jamieson
Associate Professor Rod Gardner
Linguistics expert, University of Queensland https://languages-cultures.uq.edu.au/profile/1079/rod-gardner
Provided compelling evidence in Stephen Jamieson’s 2001 application to have his conviction reviewed – rejected by the reviewing judge for very unsatisfactory reasons.
Professor Helen Fraser
Director of the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/school-of-languages-and-linguistics/our-research/research-centres-hubs-and-units/research-hub-for-language-in-forensic-evidence
Author of ‘You’ve got the wrong Shorty!’: Further insights into the legal misconceptions that cause transcript injustice in forensic contexts. Australian Journal of Linguistics https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07268602.2025.2548998
Also see Did he say I shot the prick or I can’t breathe
The symposium: Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson: 37 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit?
Presented by the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence, The University of Melbourne.
Expert panel to hear the facts of Stephen’s case and consider its ongoing relevance in 2026. Followed by Q and A.
Room 407, Babel Building, Parkville Campus, The University of Melbourne
OR ON ZOOM
Mar 4 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm GMT+11
Register here: