Networked Knowledge - Media Report

[This edited version of the report has been prepared by Dr Robert N Moles]

Mallard v The Queen 2005
Andrew Mallard homepage
Article: Australian law on miscarriages of justice
Article: UK law on miscarriages of justice
Article: USA law on miscarriages of justice

Special Blog on the Mallard case by award winning journalist Colleen Egan - details here

On 9 August 2007 Colleen Egan of Perth Now reported “Pathologist had weapon doubts”

She said forensic pathologist Clive Cooke says he would have told trial prosecutor Ken Bates about doubts he had about the weapon police claimed Andrew Mallard used to commit murder. Dr Cooke told the Corruption and Crime Commission today that in 1994, he conducted experiments by hitting a pig’s head with two possible weapons: a copper anode similar to ones kept at the Pamela Lawrence murder scene and a wrench. He ruled out both the anode and the wrench as probable weapons.  

The prosecution alleged at the 1995 trial that Mr Mallard used a Sidchrome wrench to kill Mrs Lawrence because he had drawn a picture of one during lengthy police interviews. Dr Cooke said today he would have mentioned the pig’s head experiments to Mr Bates during a pre-trial conference. “It was generally known, and I felt at the time my views about the wrench, the anode and the pig’s head testing were well known to the investigating officers, including Ken Bates.”

Dr Cooke was not examined about the wrench or pig’s head testing at the trial. He was examined about the anode. He has previously said that while he could not rule out any wrench being the weapon, he had never found one (including a Sidchrome one) that could have caused Mrs Lawrence’s injuries. An object used by Englishman Simon Rochford to kill his girlfriend seven weeks after Mrs Lawrence’s murder is now thought to be the real weapon. Mr Bates is now deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and is expected to give evidence later in the inquiry.

Source: 9 August 2007 Colleen Egan Perth Now “Pathologist had weapon doubts”

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