STORY: "Clearing path to wrongful convictions" published by Flinder's University on July 31, 2012.
GIST: South Australia is set to overhaul its criminal appeals process for the first time in almost a century, thanks in part to research and advocacy by Flinders law lecturer Ms Bibi Sangha. A Legislative Review Committee has made a recommendation to set up a new statutory right of appeal that will enable prisoners with evidence of a wrongful conviction to directly approach the courts. It was a 2010 book written by Ms Sangha, Dr Bob Moles and Professor Kent Roach on unjust convictions stemming from flawed forensic evidence that first prompted Ann Bressington MLC to propose the establishment of a Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), along UK lines.........“We highlighted in our book and in our submission to the inquiry that a common cause of wrongful convictions is the admission of unreliable forensic evidence,” Ms Sangha said. “It can have a seriously prejudicial effect on the minds of jurors – and is frequently not sufficiently scrutinised by judges or probed or tested by defence lawyers.”"
http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/flinders-news/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
I am monitoring this case. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments.
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 found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
