Flawed Forensics

In 1978, Edward Splatt was wrongfully convicted of the murder of an elderly woman. Having exhausted the usual legal avenues, Splatt took extraordinary measures to write about his case and capture the interest of award winning journalist Stewart Cockburn of The Advertiser. Cockburn managed to galvanise public opinion, which forced the Government of South Australia to examine the claims made by Cockburn and others of mishandled forensic evidence. Finally, after a lengthy Royal Commission, Splatt was released and compensated for the miscarriage of justice. As a result, the forensic system in Australia has changed for the better. Tom Mann is first and foremost a scientist. Understanding the issues involved, he has been able to reduce the scientific complexity of the case to a level which is accessible to the average reader, yet without losing any of its accuracy. 'A classic tale in the genre of real crime, dealing with one of the most important cases in the legal history of Australia ... on a par with the Lindy Chamberlain case.'Dr Bob Moles, leading campaigner and advocate in cases of miscarriages of justice.