|
The Southland Times
December 11, 2003
MPs weigh new Ellis case probe
by Leah Haines
MPs began hearing arguments yesterday from
high-profile New Zealanders calling for a royal commission into the Peter
Ellis case.
Parliament's Justice and Electoral Select committee is weighing the need for
an inquiry called for in petitions signed by more than 5000 brought by
National leader Don Brash and author Lynley Hood.
Ellis was convicted in 1993 of 16 charges of sexually abusing pre-schoolers
at the Christchurch Civic Creche. He has always maintained his innocence but
has failed to convince successive reviewers.
Asked by committee chairman Tim Barnett how the original jury, courts of
appeal and high court judges could have got it so wrong, Ms Hood said that
was typical of the "top-to-bottom" failures in gross miscarriages
of justice.
Child memory expert and Victoria
University lecturer
Maryanne Garry said the interviewing techniques used on the child
complainants were fundamentally flawed, even at the time they were used.
Everyone was susceptible to memory distortion but children were especially
vulnerable, Dr Garry said.
|
