Chamberlain has been treated fairly—group

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 6

Chamberlain has been treated fairly—group

NZPA-AAP Brisbane The first rally to protest against moves to free the convicted murderer, Lynne Chamberlain, will be held in Brisbane next month. The Justice for Azaria Chamberlain Committee had organised the rally to give public voice to those who believed that Mrs Chamberlain had been treated fairly by the courts, said the, group’s chairman, Des Cooper. Mrs Chamberlain, aged 36, is serving a life sentence in Berrimah Jail, Darwin, for . . the murder of her daughter, Azaria, aged nine weeks, in August, 1980.

“Mrs Chamberlain would be one of the most fairly treated criminals in history," said Mr Cooper, a freelance journalist j

“Our members believe continuing moves to have the court’s decision overthrown is an attack on the jury system which is the very base of British justice,” he said. “The Crown is never vindictive in a murder case. The facts have been presented. Mrs Chamberlain’s case has been through two inquests, a trial by judge ana jury, and an appearto the Supreme Court “And just recently an appeal for leave to appeal to the High Court was refused by the judges, three-to-two,” Mr Cooper said. “Our committee feels the time has now come for the Chamberlain children to be allowed to get on with their lives as free as possible from the sadness that this tragedy has taused.”