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The
Christchurch Civic Creche Case |
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The Criminal Bar
Association says an independent body to investigate miscarriages of justice
is long overdue. It is a recommendation
from retired judge Sir Thomas Thorp, in a report in which he estimates at
least 20 people have been wrongly jailed. He says miscarriages of
justice are sometimes caused by police misconduct but also by prosecutors and
lawyers not doing their jobs properly. Association President
Peter Winter admits some lawyers get it wrong. He says sometimes even with
the best of intentions on the part of the lawyer, not all the stones are
turned over. Mr Winter says lawyers
on legal aid cases are badly paid but they do what they can, although their
resources are nothing like those of the state. The judge is also
critical of the use of prison informants. |
