ShareSTORY: "David Eastman inquiry: former prosecutor 'shocked' evidence wasn't given to the defence," published by the Canbarra Times on March 14, 2014.

GIST: "The man responsible for marshalling forensic evidence used against the accused killer of the ACT’s police chief says prosecutors had ‘‘nothing to hide’’ from David Eastman’s defence team. But former prosecutor John Edward Ibbotson cannot explain why Eastman’s defence did not receive a range of material that potentially raised questions about the case’s key forensic witness, describing the revelations as ‘‘shocking’’. ‘‘All I know was that I tried to make sure the defence had everything because I knew David Eastman,’’ Mr Ibbotson said on Friday. ‘‘Everything you’ve shown me should have gone to the defence, I’m sorry, if it didn’t, I have no idea why.’’ The Eastman inquiry - ordered in 2012 after fresh doubt was raised about conviction - is investigating whether the prosecution complied with its duty to hand over all relevant information on the case to the accused’s defence team before trial.The inquiry has uncovered a series of reports, apparently never disclosed to the defence, that relate to the damning evidence of key forensic witness Robert Barnes. Mr Barnes’ evidence was critical in the circumstantial case against Eastman, and linked him with gunshot residue found at the murder scene near assistant commissioner Colin Winchester’s home."
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