David Harold Eastman: Australia; Bulletin: Second trial over murder of former Canberra Police Chief Colin Winchester pushed back more than six months...Reporter Megan Gorrey; Canberra Times. May 24, 2017..." Eastman, 71, was set to face a jury for the second time from July to fight allegations he gunned down Mr Winchester, in a fresh trial estimated at six months and with more than 300 witnesses. That trial has now been vacated and the case has been delayed until February next year. Eastman was charged with murdering Mr Winchester, who was AFP assistant commissioner at the time, in the driveway of his south Canberra home in 1989. He was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars in 1995 and has since launched a series of long-running legal battles in the ACT's courts. His conviction was eventually quashed in 2014 after a court found he did not get a fair trial and he was released from prison after serving more than 19 years in jail."

"David Eastman's planned mammoth retrial for the shooting death of former Canberra police chief Colin Winchester has been pushed back and will not start until 2018, more than six months after the case was expected to begin in the ACT Supreme Court. Eastman, 71, was set to face a jury for the second time from July to fight allegations he gunned down Mr Winchester, in a fresh trial estimated at six months and with more than 300 witnesses. That trial has now been vacated and the case has been delayed until February next year. Eastman was charged with murdering Mr Winchester, who was AFP assistant commissioner at the time, in the driveway of his south Canberra home in 1989. He was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars in 1995 and has since launched a series of long-running legal battles in the ACT's courts. His conviction was eventually quashed in 2014 after a court found he did not get a fair trial and he was released from prison after serving more than 19 years in jail. Prosecutors vowed to push ahead with a fresh trial, prompting Mr Eastman to launch an application for a permanent stay of proceedings. His lawyers argued a retrial would not be fair and extensive media coverage, as well as Eastman's age, mental health and time already served weighed against a second trial going ahead.........Acting Justice David Ashley last year threw out that application. Eastman strongly affirmed his innocence after the failed court bid and vowed he would continue to fight the allegations.........Eastman is on bail. The ACT government set aside more than $3.3 million for the DPP and court system, as well as $1.7 million for Legal Aid, for the Eastman case in the 2015-16 budget. "

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/david-eastmans-second-trial-over-colin-winchester-murder-pushed-back-months-20170523-gwb1er.html

See earlier post of this Blog (April 3, 2017)  at the link below: "A former AFP forensics chief says the litany of mistakes that were made with the crucial gunshot residue analysis in the Winchester case simply could not be repeated in a modern-day investigation. The forensic work on Colin Winchester's murder, one of Australia's most high-profile police assassinations, was subjected to scathing criticism in the final report of the Eastman Inquiry that was published on Friday. Robert Collins Barnes, a Victorian-based expert, was the case's most critical forensic witness. His analysis linked gunshot residue found in David Eastman's boot with that found at the scene, describing the retrieved particles as "indistinguishable". The inquiry heard evidence that "devastated" Barnes' reliability. The supposedly independent expert was found overwhelmingly to lack impartiality and, instead, to be in favour of the prosecution. Among other errors, he mixed up exhibits from Eastman's Mazda and the crime scene, something senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Liesl Chapman SC, summed up by saying: "For a forensic scientist, it doesn't get any worse than that." But experts say the kinds of flaws displayed in the Winchester case would simply not be allowed in modern-day investigations......... Barnes worked on a handful of other high-profile cases, including the 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Victorian police headquarters and the1993 killing of escaped convict Archie Butterly. His work on the Butterly case also raised concerns, eventually prompting a wider audit of his work. The defence and the trial judge were largely unaware of Barnes' flaws at Eastman's 1995 trial. Professor Robertson said there were no real systemic problems with forensics identified in the Eastman Inquiry."

https://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2017/04/david-harold-eastman-australia-bulletin.html?m=0

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. 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.