Wrongful Convictions Report

“When a society loses the desire to know the truth, that is a precursor to totalitarianism,” observed author, Holocaust survivor and political philosopher Hanna Arendt (1906 – 1975). Tasmanian society is now seeing that observation come closer to realisation around them.  If we look at the totalitarian-like behaviours of the joint enterprise that has arisen there consisting of the police, the courts, the bureaucrats, the political class (all largely unscrutinised by the local media), we can expect decisions such as the one last week which we have labelled the ‘Clayton’s review’ of police surveillance in prisons, triggered by the case of solicitor Jeff Thompson. Do you feel safe speaking out against them?  Continue reading →

The terms of reference for an inquiry into the unlawful use of surveillance devices in Risdon Prison downplay any wrongdoing by Tasmania Police involved in the operation, reports David Killick in the Hobart Mercury today (Sept. 30, 2022). 

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Andrew L. Urban.

 She’s on parole. But Sue Neill-Fraser’s 2010 conviction for the 2009 murder of her partner Bob Chappell remains undisturbed – and controversially unjust. Her two appeals were dismissed; her two High Court applications seeking leave to appeal were refused. Yet … there are  many reasons why Neill-Fraser’s conviction must be overturned.  Continue reading →

It’s been a bitter-sweet day for wrongful convictions today (16/9/22) with Derek Bromley’s leave to appeal his 38 year old murder conviction referred to the full Court (as we reported earlier) and Sue Neill-Fraser granted parole after 13 years in jail. Continue reading →

Andrew L. Urban.

That great State of renowned legal probity and justice, Tasmania, has announced its response to Brett J’s judgement that police illegally recorded prison conversations for two months: it has tasked a defender of TasPol to conduct an “independent” review. Tsk tsk … take this wet lettuce leaf and smack their wrist. That sardonic response reflects the local paper’s reporting of the matter. Continue reading →