The appointment of judges has hitherto been an obscure and oftentimes clandestine affair. This has produced incompetent judges and led to claims that the judiciary is beholden to the executive.
Peter Ellis with his then lawyer, Judith Ablett-Kerr, after his release from prison in 2000.
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The latest decision in the Civic Creche case highlights a gap in the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s ability to look at appeals from beyond the grave.
It’s hard to see how there will be any appeal for the Australian mass gunman who was jailed for life without parole since he was so accepting of his fate.
George Pell’s lawyer, Robert Richter, said he will appeal the guilty verdict.
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George Pell’s conviction has opened a rift in Australian society, with many people questioning the guilty verdict. Pell’s lawyer has said he will appeal. On what grounds could he do that?
Is this worth the tape it’s wrapped with?
Bill Selak
Is forensic science an oxymoron? A new White House report suggests there are major issues with many of the forensic disciplines used to convict defendants of crimes in the U.S.
Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, for his sentencing.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Under South African law, murder carries a minimum sentence of 15 years for first-time offenders. But courts may deviate from this if they find ‘substantial and compelling circumstances’ to do so.