Road to Damnation follows the science to a wrongful conviction

Posted on October 15, 2020 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban.

In his important new book, Road to Damnation, Chris Brook takes the reader on a gripping journey to the darkest reaches of human experience – the drowning of three children – when it intersects with the law. Brook places the case of Robert Farquharson – their father – at the interface between law, science, society and psychology. We invite our readers to ‘hit the road’ in a series of extracts, starting next week. First, we preview the book, which is destined to be controversial.  Continue reading →

Posted in Case 13 Robert Farquharson | 13 Comments

The knife, the wrench, the prosecutor and his prejudice

Posted on October 13, 2020 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban

An observer at the 2010 murder trial of Sue Neill-Fraser has confirmed that early in the trial, the prosecutor, then DPP Tim Ellis SC, held up a large knife – flourishing it inside a plastic bag as if it were evidence – eliciting a gasp from the court. But he never tendered it in evidence, leaving it lying (pun intended) on the bar table in front of him throughout the trial.  Continue reading →

Posted in Case 01 Sue Neill-Fraser | 26 Comments

Dr Colin Manock and the Baby Deaths – Ch 9 Oct 14, 2020

Posted on October 12, 2020 by andrew

This Wednesday 14 October, at 8.40pm Channel 9 will broadcast ‘Bodies of Evidence’ as part of their Australian Crime Series. It will focus on the appalling failures in relation to the work of Dr Colin Manock, former chief forensic pathologist in South Australia for nearly 30 years. Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 4 Comments

Woeful quality control of expert/scientific testimony compromises justice system

Posted on October 9, 2020 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban.

Can we trust a criminal justice system that despite some five decades of complaints and dozens of miscarriages of justice, has failed to address the dangers of poor quality scientific evidence or help improve its reliability. If it were an airline, it would be grounded.  Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 6 Comments

Sue Neill-Fraser appeal deferred (yet again) to March 1, 2021

Posted on October 8, 2020 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban.

Just 18 months before Sue Neill-Fraser becomes eligible for parole after 13 years in prison, her new appeal will now be heard in the first week of March 2021 – coronavirus travel restrictions permitting, it was decided at a directions hearing yesterday afternoon (Oct. 7, 2020) in Hobart’s Supreme Court before Justice Wood.  Continue reading →

Posted in Case 01 Sue Neill-Fraser | 45 Comments

Cardinal Pell … well, well, well

Posted on October 5, 2020 by andrew

Italian media have reported that Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, 72, is suspected of wiring 700,000 euros to recipients in Australia who helped to ensure hostile testimony in the trial of Cardinal George Pell, who was accused of molesting choir boys in Melbourne in the 1990s. Becciu, days after being sacked by the Pope, denies the truth of the reports.  Continue reading →

Posted in Case 07 George Pell | 4 Comments

Letter from the rip

Posted on September 28, 2020 by andrew

This private letter is from a man who has led an exemplary life, but when accused of historical sexual molestation by a vengeful woman, then a youngster, years after the alleged events, he was tried and convicted, his life ruined. He maintains his innocence (the accuser’s mother believes & supports him) and a lawyer has prepared pro bono a 70 page analysis of his case that shows how the system wrongly convicted him. He has given me permission to publish the letter. Continue reading →

Posted in Case 06 'Paul' | 10 Comments

‘Shocking scandal nobody wants to touch’: MP

Posted on September 27, 2020 by andrew

This is an edited version of the full article in the CLA news, by Bill Rowlings, CEO of Civil Liberties Australia.  Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 6 Comments

Undercurrent – tv docoseries on Sue Neill-Fraser case online globally

Posted on September 25, 2020 by andrew

Undercurrent, the 6-part docoseries digging into the investigation leading to the murder conviction of Tasmanian grandmother Sue Neill-Fraser broadcast on the Seven Network in March 2019, except in Tasmania, is now available to watch free, around the world, on TUBI.

It is also accessible at 7+

 

 

Posted in Case 01 Sue Neill-Fraser | 13 Comments

Public register would endanger wrongfully convicted

Posted on September 23, 2020 by andrew

Andrew L. Urban

As controversial as this view may be, I urge great caution in lobbying for the currently proposed national public – public! – register of convicted child sex offenders – whom I abhor as much as everyone. There would be severe and unacceptable unintended consequences of such a scheme.  Continue reading →

Posted in General articles | 4 Comments