‘My son and his wife innocent’

Press, 1 November 1982, Page 1

‘My son and his wife innocent’

“My son and his wife are innocent. I never thought any offspring of mine would be treated in such a way by a sister nation,” said Mr Ivan Chamberlain, father-in-law of Linda Chamberlain, from his Ellesmere farm yesterday.

Commenting on Friday’s finding in the Darwin trial that Linda Chamberlain was guilty of the murder of her baby daughter. Azaria and that his son, Michael Chamberlain, was guilty of being an accessory after the fact, Mr Chamberlain was obviously very upset. Mr Chamberlain said he could not comment any further on the jury’s decision as “we have- been asked not to by counsel.” He said he could not say whether his son and daughter-in-law would appeal against the decision. “We are not making a press statement as we are not going to get our daugh-ter-in-law out of prison by making mistakes,” he said. The family had had a telephone call from his son on Saturday night, Mr Chamberlain said. “He had brightened up a bit. He said Linda was reasonably comfortable.” The family had no immediate plans to go to Australia, sajd Mr Chamberlain. “Miehael said he has taken care of arrangements for the baby’s birth and he intends to beXvith the boys for a few days.” The couple’s sons, Aidan, aged nine; and Reagan, aged seven, are staying in Cooranbong, New South Wales. His son had had messages of support and "our telephone has been ringing all day,” said Mr Chamberlain. Michael Chamberlain, freed by Mr Justice Muir-

head on Saturday, visited his wife in prison twice during the week-end before flying . home to his two sons, the Press Association reported. Mr Chamberlain, aged 38. went to the prison on Saturday afternoon, hours after he was released on a SNZ66O three-year-good-behaviour bond in the Northern Territory Supreme Court at Darwin. He made a further visit yesterday morning and flew to Sydney in the afternoon. He was believed to be travelling under an assumed name. The Northern Territory Legislative Assembly moved to quell speculation about the fate Of his wife, who is expecting her fourth child soon.

A spokesman for the Community Development Minister, Mr James Robertson, who has Ministerial responsibility for prisons, denied southern newspaper reports that moves were already under way to free Mrs Chamberlain on licence. He said that such a move would have to come from the Assembly through the Criminal Law Consolidation Act. “We are not considering this ... no-one has had time to even consider such a move,” he said. The spokesman also denied reports that the Government had made a decision about whether Mrs Chamberlain would keep her baby in prison and where she would have it. There is provision in the Northern Territory Prisons Act to allow Mrs Chamberlain to give birth at the maternity wing of Darwin Hospital. There is also a centre at the prison for childbirth. Verdict, page 8