|
Otago Daily Times
Monday,
17-November 1997
Questions over Ellis jury
Christchurch: More cracks in the Christchurch
Civic Childcare Centre case surfaced yesterday with revelations about
possible prejudice among the jurors.
TV3's 20/20 programme revealed last night that one of the jurors, a lesbian,
knew the mother of one of the child complainants who gave evidence against
creche worker Peter Ellis in 1993.
The juror had contact with the woman through her live-in partner, who shared
a small office with the mother.
The programme also said the jury foreman, a Christchurch clergyman, had
officiated at the wedding of the case's lead prosecutor Brent Stanaway.
Commenting on the developments, Christchurch QC Nigel Hampton, who worked on
Peter Ellis' appeal, said he was somewhat alarmed by the jury revelations.
In such a high profile case it was vital to have an objective and detached
jury, he said.
"It's quite clear that two members of the jury did not fit into that
category. Those jurors had the potential to effect Ellis' case," he
said.
Other disclosures in the programme were:
· Colin Eade, a police officer who
took a leading part in the investigation, had psychological difficulties and
left the police soon afterwards.
· Some of the complainant children
have now said Peter Ellis did not abuse them but their statements are being
treated as a symptom of denial (a psychological term meaning the event
happened but the victim refuses to accept it did).
The 1993 guilty verdicts against Peter Ellis on 16 out of 25 charges of
abusing children in his care have always been controversial.
The Court of Appeal rejected an appeal against the verdicts in 1994 although
it dismissed three of the charges on evidence that the complainant concerned
had recanted.
Dunedin QC Judith Ablett-Kerr is in the process of preparing a case asking
the Governor-General to pardon Peter Ellis.
Ellis has served over four years of his 10-year sentence.
A spokesman for Ellis' support group, Winstone Weallans, last night called
for the immediate release of Peter Ellis.
"We want a full inquiry which includes a hard look at how the police
conducted the investigation. Mr Eade demonstrated tonight the completely
one-eyed police attitude that typified the inquiry," he said.
"This is a terrible injustice. It cannot be allowed to continue and the
authorities must take note and take action." - NZPA
|
