STORY: "Sue Neill-Fraser case: Woman charged with perverting the course of justice," by reporter Edith Bevin, published by ABC News on August 9, 2017.
GIST: Tasmania Police have charged another woman in connection with the murder of Bob Chappell in Hobart eight years ago. Susan
Neill-Fraser, 62, is currently serving a 23-year jail term for the
murder of her partner Mr Chappell on board their yacht 'Four Winds' moored off Sandy Bay in January 2009. She has a last-ditch appeal before the Supreme Court in Hobart. Karen
Patricia Nancy Keefe appeared in court this morning charged with
corrupting a witness and perverting the course of justice. Police allege the 41-year-old agreed to
accept property and money totalling almost $100,000 in return for
providing false evidence and convincing another to do the same in
Neill-Fraser's appeal. Police said she agreed to receive $3,000
cash, a $40,000 reward for information in the murder, and a $50,000
education fund for her and two children. In return Keefe would
allegedly have given false evidence about Neill-Fraser and a girl whose
DNA was found at the scene, knowing it would result in that girl giving
false evidence in the appeal. Keefe is understood to be an
acquaintance of Neill-Fraser but police are not alleging that
Neill-Fraser knew or encouraged what Keefe was allegedly doing. Keefe did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody. Daughter not aware of witness payments: Outside court, Neill-Fraser's daughter Sarah
Bowles — who has led the campaign to have her mother freed — said she
was not aware of payments being made to witnesses. "No we [the family of Neill-Fraser] have not been arranging for witnesses to be paid," she said. "I am not prepared to comment while the matter is before the courts. "All
I know is that we have DNA evidence that backs up witness statements
and it is really important that the right to appeal legislation is
tested in the appropriate forum." Police said the investigation was ongoing and may result in further charges being laid. Lengthy court process. Susan
Neill-Fraser lost one appeal against her conviction and the High Court
refused to hear another but she launched a fresh bid for freedom using
new last-chance appeal laws introduced by the Tasmanian Government. That
appeal was due to be heard this month but at the request of
Neill-Fraser's advocates it was adjourned to a date yet to be set. Neill-Fraser
supporters are understood to have a new witness who allegedly heard a
homeless girl say she had been on board the yacht. That girl's DNA was found by police on the yacht at the time."
The entire story can be found at:
See (July 4 story on departure of Neill-Fraser's instructing solicitor Barbara Etter from Neill-Fraser's legal team - several weeks before the above story about alleged witness tampering appeared - at the link below..."The appeal hearing was set down for four weeks starting later this month but the Supreme Court has just been told Neill-Fraser will not be ready, after solicitor and former Integrity Commission chief Barbara Etter left the case last month."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-04/sue-neill-fraser-appeal-adjourned-indefinitely/8677986
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/c
