"GRAHAM STAFFORD EXPECTS TO FIND OUT TODAY WHETHER HE WILL FACE A RETRIAL OVER THE 1991 MURDER OF GOODNA SCHOOLGIRL LEANNE HOLLAND. AFTER SPENDING 15 YEARS IN JAIL FOR THE SHOCKING MURDER, STAFFORD HAD HIS CONVICTION QUASHED BY THE QUEENSLAND COURT OF APPEAL IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR. THE COURT DID NOT ACQUIT HIM OF THE CHARGE AND TODAY THE 46-YEAR-OLD IS SCHEDULED TO FACE BRISBANE MAGISTRATES COURT TO FIND OUT IF PROSECUTORS INTEND TO RETRY HIM OVER THE CASE."
REPORTER ZANE JACKSON: THE QUEENSLAND TIMES;
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BACKGROUND: (WIKIPEDIA): Graham Stuart Stafford was a sheet metal worker from Goodna, near Ipswich, Queensland who was convicted in 1992 of the murder of twelve-year-old Leanne Sarah Holland. Leanne Holland, the younger sister of Stafford's former partner, Melissa Holland, was murdered in September 1991. Her viciously mutilated body was found three days after she was reported missing in nearby Redbank Plains. It is possible she was also sexually interfered with and tortured with a cigarette lighter. Stafford appealed to the Queensland Court of Appeal, but this appeal was rejected on 25 August 1992. In 1997, the Queensland Court of Appeal re-examined the case after Stafford lodged an application for pardon with the State Governor on the basis of evidence gathered by private detective, Graeme Crowley. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal again by a two-to-one majority on the grounds that there was still enough evidence to convict. Two applications for special leave to the High Court of Australia subsequently failed. Stafford was released in June 2006 after serving over 14 years in prison. Stafford, who was born in England and does not have Australian citizenship despite having migrated to Australia in 1969, faced deportation in November 2006. Some people, including Professor Paul Wilson of Bond University believe that Stafford is a victim of a miscarriage of justice. The Queensland Attorney-General, Kerry Shine, has agreed to closely consider any request on Stafford's behalf concerning a petition to clear him of the murder conviction. In April 2008, the Queensland Attorney-General referred the case to the Court of Appeal for a very rare second appeal for pardon. On December 24, 2009 the Court of Appeal overturned Graham Stafford's conviction and ordered a retrial by a 2-1 majority. The dissenting judge wanted an immediate acquittal...Wikipedia informs us that: "A Brisbane Sunday Mail examination of the police investigation revealed that an Ipswich computer store worker provided information to the police about a man who had entered the store on the same day as Leanne's body was dumped in nearby bushland. The worker claimed that the man had been behaving in a peculiar manner and had blood stains on his hands and trousers when he entered the store. Furthermore, reports of Leanne having been seen alive on the day after the police allege she was murdered were ignored. A report of a vehicle other than Stafford's being sighted near the body was also ignored. Forensic scientist, Angela van Daal, gave evidence at trial that helped convict Stafford of the murder. She has since stated that the blood identified as Leanne's could have come from another family member. Although the frequency of the blood type matching anyone in the general population was only about one percent, the frequency among relatives is as high as 25 percent. Around the time of the murder, Leanne's brother Craig had slashed his hand in a pub fight and had bled freely in the family home. It has also been revealed that another twelve-year-old girl was murdered less than one kilometre away from where Leanne Holland lived within thirteen days of Leanne's murder. The man who was charged with the second murder had been known to Leanne. Furthermore, daughters of a police informant in the Leanne Holland case have come forward claiming their father sexually abused them at the murder site, burnt them with cigarette lighters and showed them crime scene photographs of Leanne's body."
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"GRAHAM Stafford expects to find out today whether he will face a retrial over the 1991 murder of Goodna schoolgirl Leanne Holland," the Queensland Times story by reporter Zane Jackson, published earlier today begins, under the heading, "Stafford may face murder retrial."
"After spending 15 years in jail for the shocking murder, Stafford had his conviction quashed by the Queensland Court of Appeal in December last year," the story continues.
"The court did not acquit him of the charge and today the 46-year-old is scheduled to face Brisbane Magistrates Court to find out if prosecutors intend to retry him over the case.
The Queensland Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) office is remaining tight-lipped, but Stafford told The Queensland Times a decision on a retrial would be made public today.
“The DPP was given until this date to come up with a decision or not, so I will find out if they want to retrial me,” he said.
“After my conviction was quashed last year, that was the big one for me – whatever decision they make now is just another tick off the checklist.”
In 1992 Stafford was convicted of the abduction and murder of 12-year-old Goodna schoolgirl Leanne Holland, whose body was found in bush near Redbank Plains in September 1991.
He maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment and launched two failed appeals in the Queensland Court of Appeal and two appeals in the High Court before being released in 2007.
It was only on December 24 last year when the now Mooloolaba resident’s conviction was quashed.
He said should the DPP ask for a retrial, he would be concerned for his elderly parent’s well-being more than anything else.
“I really don’t know how they would cope if this was to go to trial again, it would be even more devastating for them,” he said.
“But after the three appeals, judges quashed my conviction last year – including one judge who said I should be acquitted – I think if there was a retrial, we’d have a bit more confidence.”
Former policeman and private investigator Graeme Crowley, who for years championed Stafford’s innocence after investigating the case, said he believed a retrial would not be called.
“He’s already served a long sentence, all the witnesses and forensic evidence have dispersed all over the place.”
The DPP would not comment on the case."
The story can be found at:
http://www.qt.com.au/story/2010/03/26/graham-stafford-leanne-holland-retrial-murder/
Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;
