Author Archives: andrew

A key piece of criminal justice infrastructure is missing

Professor David Hamer and Dr Andrew Dyer from Sydney Law School explain why Kathleen Folbigg’s pardon points to the need for a Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in Australia. 

Posted in Case 17 Kathleen Folbigg, CCRC, General articles | 25 Comments

When pigs do fly: the Crown proved wrong in Folbigg case

Andrew L. Urban. At the murder trial of Kathleen Folbigg in 2003, prosecutor Mark Tedeschi compared the likelihood of four children in the same family dying of natural causes to pigs flying. It was the Crown’s alternative to relying on … Continue reading

Posted in Case 17 Kathleen Folbigg | 9 Comments

Comment moderators in conflict with editorial at The Australian?

Andrew L. Urban. Are the gatekeepers of reader comments on The Australian – the moderators –  in ideological conflict with the editors? 

Posted in Case 18 Bruce Lehrmann, General articles | 3 Comments

A tendency to wrongful convictions?

Andrew L. Urban. Is justice served when a false accusation of sexual abuse is supported by another false accusation of sexual abuse and the court accepts the second accusation as tendency evidence proving wrongdoing? A preliminary assessment of his case … Continue reading

Posted in Case 22 Noel Greenaway | 25 Comments

Sofronoff the empathic judge who does no ‘unnecessary harm’ – next task in Tasmania?

“Walter Sofronoff is an extraordinary man, and an extraordinary judge, one whose empathy other judges should seek to emulate,” writes legal columnist HUGH SELBY in Canberra City News, as he reveals how often the legal profession falls short of that quality, in … Continue reading

Posted in Case 01 Sue Neill-Fraser | 10 Comments

Fiona Brown and the Lehrmann/Higgins fiasco: no good deed shall go unpunished

Yet another front page of The Australian (Weekend, June 10/11, 2023) devoted almost entirely to the disastrous fallout from Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations and subsequent abandoned trial, reveals how staffer Fiona Brown’s good deeds didn’t go unpunished… 

Posted in Case 18 Bruce Lehrmann | 7 Comments

Bruce Lehrmann was ammunition for war on Morrison

Channel 7’s Spotlight (June 4, 2023) interview with Bruce Lehrmann not only gave him a chance to firmly and publicly deny the rape allegations against him by Brittany Higgins, but revealed the plot in which he was the ammunition for … Continue reading

Posted in Case 18 Bruce Lehrmann | 14 Comments

Neill-Fraser supporters cite Folbigg pardon in call for inquiry

Rosie Crumpton-Crook, President of the Neill-Fraser Support Group, today said in a statement to media that: “Supporters of Sue Neill-Fraser welcomed the news that Kathleen Folbigg had been pardoned, and we wish her well. The case of Susan Neill-Fraser in … Continue reading

Posted in Case 01 Sue Neill-Fraser | 19 Comments

Folbigg freed, not guilty beyond reasonable doubt, Academy of Science calls for CCRC

Andrew L. Urban A decision by the NSW Attorney-General that should have been made four years ago by his predecessor has seen Kathleen Folbigg freed this morning on being granted a pardon by the Governor, on the recommendation of the … Continue reading

Posted in Case 17 Kathleen Folbigg, CCRC | 15 Comments

Strategising a rape claim

Andrew L. Urban The public already knew that Bruce Lehrmann denies raping Brittany Higgins in Minister Linda Reynolds’ parliamentary office on March 23, 2019. He confidently confirmed his denial in Channel 7’s Spotlight with Liam Bartlett (Sunday, June 4, 2023). … Continue reading

Posted in Case 18 Bruce Lehrmann | 4 Comments