STORY: "Sue Neill-Fraser murder appeal: Police reveal new recordings and witnesses, delaying case, by reporter Edith Bevin, published by ABC News on February 21, 2018.
GIST: "The last-chance appeal of convicted killer Sue
Neill-Fraser has been adjourned again after revelations police obtained
two films that the DPP says are "significant and important evidence".
Neill-Fraser
is serving a 23-year jail sentence for the 2009 murder of her partner
Bob Chappell onboard their yacht moored off Hobart. She exhausted all other avenues of appeal, and is now relying on new last-chance appeal laws to have her convicted quashed. The
application for the new appeal is part heard, and was due to return to
court on Friday, but the court heard today the DPP will tender two films
that have come into the possession of police. The DPP said the
film recordings had only come to light in the past two weeks, but it
meant Neill-Fraser's lawyers needed more time to see them and talk to
people in them. The application will go back before the court in March. Crown will now call more witnesses; The Crown had previously advised the court that they would not be calling any of its own witnesses in the appeal. But
today the court heard four new Crown witnesses would be called, in
addition to the cross-examining of Detective Shane Sinnitt. Detective
Sinnitt was one of the investigators on the original murder
investigation, and was also involved in last year's investigation into
allegations that three people attempted to pervert the course of justice
in relation to the appeal application. It is understood the two
recordings were some of the items seized during raids on CJZ
productions in Sydney in November last year. It was reported at the time that the seized footage had been for a Seven Network "true crime" series. It is understood the Crown intends to tender the recordings to the court through Detective Sinnitt during cross-examination. Neill-Fraser team needs time to review films..." The
hearing will now be set down for March 8 and 9, when the court will
hear evidence from Neill-Fraser's winching expert, and the DPP's four
witnesses. It will then be adjourned to a date yet to be set for Detective Sinnitt to give evidence and the recordings to be tendered."The entire story can be found at:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-21/police-reveal-recorded-tapes-in-neil-fraser-murder-appeal-case/9471254
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
