Police ‘hostile toward Chamberlains’

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 10

Police ‘hostile toward Chamberlains’

NZPA-AAP Darwin The Northern Territory police became almost paranoid in their belief that Lindy and Michael Chamberlain were trying to get away with something, the Chamberlain inquiry heard yesterday. Mr John Winneke, Q.C., for the Chamberlains, said the police, who displayed unwarranted hostility toward the couple, conducted a very partisan investigation. He said they concentrated on matters prejudicial to the Chamberlains

and totally ignored matters which supported them. “It was literally a sledgehammer formed to crack a nut.” Mr Winneke finished his five-day final submission yesterday at the hearing into the convictions of Lindy and Michael Chamberlain over the death of their daughter, Azaria. After his criticism of the Territory police, Mr Winneke submitted that the case against the Chamberlains had been

entirely discredited. “Once the scientific opinion evidence is swept away, you are left with the full blare of reliable, independent eyewitness testimony which leads the reasonable mind to conclude that the Chamberlains could have had nothing to do with the disappearance of their daughter, Azaria, whom they both loved and adored very much indeed,” he said. Mr Winneke said no-one could blame the police for the half-hearted nature of

their investigation immediately after Azaria’s disappearance, because no suspicions were initially attached to the Chamberlains. But he criticised the police investigations after the first inquest following the report of Professor James Cameron who said damage to the child’s clothing indicated that her throat had been slit. “It is clear the police were very hostile to the Chamberlains for reasons which had no warrant,” said Mr Winneke.

“The leader of the police team, Superintendent Blumm, has said he regarded Mrs Chamberlain as a religious nut; while another policeman described her as having ‘killer eyes’.” Mr Winneke told Mr Justice Morling that he should completely exonerate the Chamberlains, as the case made out against them at the trial was now discredited. Mr lan Barker, Q.C., for the Northern - Territory police and Crown, will begin his final address on Monday.