Bullletin: Frits Van Beelen; South Australia; Convicted murderer wants conviction overturned, 25 years after being freed from a 17-year jail term saying he has compelling new evidence. Van Beelen’s appeal will target evidence provided by South Australia’s then chief forensic pathologist, Dr Colin Manock, to the trial. His legal team will assert Dr Manock was not qualified to give evidence. “It has now been established that between 1972 and 1994, Dr Manock was at all relevant times: unprofessional, incompetent, untrustworthy,’’ the documents assert. “The opinion Dr Manock provided as to time of death, clearly accepted by the jury, was wrong."... “Criticism of Dr Manock’s testimony in the controversial Henry Keogh murder trial led to a historic appeal in that case, and a retrial slated for May next year." The Advertiser;

"Convicted murderer Frits Van Beelen has moved to have his conviction overturned, 25 years after being freed from a 17-year jail term for killing teen Deborah Leach. Van Beelen’s appeal will target evidence provided by South Australia’s then chief forensic pathologist, Dr Colin Manock, to the trial for the July 15, 1971, murder on Taperoo Beach. His legal team will assert Dr Manock was not qualified to give evidence at the trial, using that as the “fresh and compelling” new evidence needed to secure the appeal. Criticism of Dr Manock’s testimony in the controversial Henry Keogh murder trial led to a historic appeal in that case, and a retrial slated for May next year. Court of Criminal Appeal documents, lodged on Wednesday by Michael Hegarty & Associates Solicitors, assert Dr Manock should not have been permitted to give evidence which was crucial to the prosecution case against Van Beelen, now in his late 60s. “It has now been established that between 1972 and 1994, Dr Manock was at all relevant times: unprofessional, incompetent, untrustworthy,’’ the documents assert. “The opinion Dr Manock provided as to time of death, clearly accepted by the jury, was wrong. “At trial it was the prosecution case, based on Dr Manock’s autopsy observations and his opinions, that the Applicant committed necrophilia on the body of the deceased immediately after killing her.
“That proposition was without factual or valid scientific basis ... Dr Manock was totally unqualified to become involved in the way in which he did.’’.........Van Beelen’s application for permission to appeal will be heard by a single Supreme Court Justice sitting as the Court of Criminal Appeal."
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/convicted-murderer-frits-van-beelen-wants-conviction-overturned-saying-he-has-compelling-new-evidence/story-fni6uo1m-1227500386092