Chamberlain trials ‘a travesty’

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 6

Chamberlain trials ‘a travesty’

NZPA-AAP Darwin An enormous travesty of justice had been occasioned to Lindy and Michael Chamberlain in an atmosphere of unfounded gossip, the Morling Inquiry was told yesterday. Mr John Winneke, Q.C., for the Chamberlains, said the Crown allegations made a “unique murder case” with no body, no weapon, no motive and no confession produced. Mr Winneke was making his final address at the inquiry into the conviction of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain over the death of their daughter, Azaria, in August, 1980. He said the Chamberlains stood trial in an

atmosphere of unfounded gossip, all extremely hostile to them. Therefore, the obvious absence of a motive for the murder was not as big an impediment to the Crown as it might have been. The inquiry had heard no evidence to support the allegation that a “normal, healthy, caring mother became a homicidal maniac and slit the throat of her baby,” he said. As well as failing to provide a motive, the Crown failed to provide a body or method of disposal, or a confession. Rather, the Chamberlains had continued to protest their innocence for seven years, said Mr Winneke.