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The owner of a tape alleged to
contain a disclosure by a juror at the Peter Ellis trial, that the juror was
sexually aroused by the evidence, should be forced to hand over her evidence,
Ellis supporters say. The tape reportedly also contains
an admission the man had professional links with the expert psychiatrist
called by the prosecution at the child abuse trial. Justice Minister Tony Ryall confirmed he had received the report into the Ellis
case by former High Court judge Sir Thomas Thorp. But Mr Ryall would not reveal its contents, saying he would
consider its findings and hoped to make recommendations to Governor-General
Sir Michael Hardie Boys by mid-May. Sir Thomas was appointed to examine
the case after Ellis' lawyer, Judith Ablett Kerr QC, petitioned the
governor-general. Ellis, convicted in 1993 on 16
charges of molesting children at the Christchurch Civic Creche,
had an appeal dismissed in 1994, but has been granted a rare second appeal,
scheduled for late May. The latest disclosures, reportedly
made to writer Lynley Hood, have angered Ellis' supporters, including a
former police commander, Mauri Pacific MP Rana Waitai. Mr Waitai
said he was disgusted with the number of people who had allowed Ellis to
suffer for their own selfish ends. He said Hood should be forced to
give the tape up. "(Some) jurors, including the
foreman, were not objective when they voted that Peter Ellis was guilty of
child abuse, a senior policeman involved in the case had questionable
interests in witnesses, and now we have a writer who is prepared to hold on
to critical evidence, rather than helping an innocent man gain his
freedom," Mr Waitai
said. |
