STORY: "Key evidence 'bad science' - Lundy appeal," by reporter Jimmy Ellingham, published buy 'Stiff' on June 18, 2013.
GIST: "More ‘‘fundamentally flawed’’ science has been placed under the Privy Council microscope as Mark Lundy’s lawyer again raises doubts about its reliability.........On the first day of the hearing, his lawyer, David Hislop, QC, questioned the technique used to identify brain matter found on Lundy’s shirt and accused of the Crown of ‘‘expert shopping’’ and withholding important evidence. At his trial, the Crown said the killings happened at about 7pm, with cell phone records placing Lundy 150km away in Petone at 5.30pm and 8.28pm. He was said to have driven home, gone to his bedroom and killed his wife and daughter, cleaned up and returned south in that time. Last night Hislop raised doubts about the timings and criticised Crown expert witness, pathologist Dr James Pang. Pang said the killings happened about one hour and 10 minutes after Christine and Amber ate McDonald’s food, which they bought about 5.45. He based his findings on stomach contents and ‘‘gastric smell’’, something other experts had labelled ‘‘bad science’’, Hislop said. Pang made other omissions that left his conclusions ‘‘fundamentally flawed’’, Hislop said. The Crown has defended the allegations and says issues discussed at Lundy’s murder trial cannot be relitigated. ‘‘One can’t take the trial as some sort of curtain raiser,’’ deputy solicitor-general Cameron Mander told the five judges hearing Lundy’s appeal in London overnight. Lundy, who maintains his innocence, is serving a 20-year minimum jail sentence after being found guilty of killing wife Christine, and daughter, Amber, 7, on August 29, 2000, in the family’s Palmerston North home. On the first day of the hearing, his lawyer, David Hislop, QC, questioned the technique used to identify brain matter found on Lundy’s shirt and accused of the Crown of ‘‘expert shopping’’ and withholding important evidence. At his trial, the Crown said the killings happened at about 7pm, with cell phone records placing Lundy 150km away in Petone at 5.30pm and 8.28pm. He was said to have driven home, gone to his bedroom and killed his wife and daughter, cleaned up and returned south in that time.
Last night Hislop raised doubts about the timings and criticised Crown expert witness, pathologist Dr James Pang. Pang said the killings happened about one hour and 10 minutes after Christine and Amber ate McDonald’s food, which they bought about 5.45. He based his findings on stomach contents and ‘‘gastric smell’’, something other experts had labelled ‘‘bad science’’, Hislop said......... The appeal finishes tonight (NZT).
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8812281/Key-evidence-bad-science-Lundy-appeal
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear reader: Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following developments relating to this case;
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
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/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.
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.
