"Law students and legal professionals from Griffith University's Innocence Project – who have spent eight years pushing for an innocence test using DNA technology far more advanced than that used to convict Davis in 1991 – have written to the Attorney-General requesting one further piece of evidence be retested.
"The principles are the same as ever," said director Lynne Weathered.
"Where there is probative evidence that can be DNA tested, that has the possibility of answering questions that surround certain cases, then it should be undertaken. It's a principle of justice.""
REPORTER TRENT DALTON: THE COURIER-MAIL;
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BACKGROUND: Shane Davis was convicted by a Supreme Court jury in Brisbane in November 1991 of the murder of South African tourist Michelle Joanne Cohn at a Surfers Paradise apartment block on Boxing Day in 1990. He was sentenced to life in prison, but has always maintained his innocence and has even refused the opportunity of parole several times during the past five years. His case has been reviewed and championed by the Griffith University's Innocence Project which has raised serious questions about the DNA used by the prosecution in the case against him. DNA was in its infancy when he was convicted. When they were finally obtained, in July, 2010, the test results pointed to Davis's guilt.
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"THE sister of Michelle Cohn, the murder victim at the centre of Queensland's first case of DNA innocence testing, has expressed regret the man jailed for life the murder has not admitted his guilt," the story by reporter Trent Dalton, published earlier today in the Courier-Mall under the heading, "Murder victim Michelle Cohn's sister sad at Shane Davis' lack of remorse in DNA innocence testing," begins.
"Responding to a Courier-Mail report that the landmark innocence test found Brisbane prison inmate Shane Davis extremely likely to be linked to blood from the scene, Lindsey Cohn said Mr Davis was a man without "guilt or remorse," the story continues.
"It saddens me deeply that Shane Sebastian Davis is still not remorseful nor taking responsibility for his guilt in killing my sister," Ms Cohn said.
"What sort of person can spend 20 years in jail and not hear her screams echoing in his mind?"
The Cohn family had travelled to Australia from South Africa in 1990 to escape violence in their homeland. They were holidaying at the Oak Lodge Apartments, Surfers Paradise, when 19-year-old Michelle's body was found beaten to death in the apartment block's garage.
Announcing the innocence test results this week, Attorney-General Cameron Dick said DNA samples taken from the crime scene were 45 billion times more likely to have originated from Davis than from any other person chosen randomly from the Australian Caucasian population.
Mr Davis has proclaimed his innocence for two decades at the cost of a reduced life sentence.
Law students and legal professionals from Griffith University's Innocence Project – who have spent eight years pushing for an innocence test using DNA technology far more advanced than that used to convict Davis in 1991 – have written to the Attorney-General requesting one further piece of evidence be retested.
"The principles are the same as ever," said director Lynne Weathered.
"Where there is probative evidence that can be DNA tested, that has the possibility of answering questions that surround certain cases, then it should be undertaken. It's a principle of justice."'
The story can be found at:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/murder-victim-michelle-cohns-sister-sad-at-shane-davis-lack-of-remorse-in-dna-innocence-testing/story-e6freoof-1225899183373
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-feature-cases-issues-and.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;