Assaults, Extortion and Murder are Common Across Australian Prisons
Two men have been charged with the offences of murder and extortion over the death of Benn Schinkel at Queensland’s Capricornia Correctional Centre in Rockhampton last year. The three men were inmates at the time Benn Schrinkel was found unresponsive,...
NSW Police Officer Faces Manslaughter Charges for Fatally Tasering Great Grandmother
Many have welcomed the upgrading of charges against the New South Wales police officer the man whose tasering of a great grandmother at a nursing home resulted in her death. An internal police investigation initially led to 33-year old senior...
Saw X: What Criminal Offences Could Jigsaw Be Charged With?
Horror fans have been treated with a new entry in the Saw franchise with Saw X hitting cinemas earlier this month. The series follows the twisted efforts of civil engineer John Kramer, also known as Jigsaw, as he “tests” unlucky...
Can Obtaining Another’s Consent Be Used as a Murder Defence?
Just a few weeks short of Halloween in 1996, 35-year-old Sharon Lopatka left her home in Maryland USA, leaving her husband a note which simply read: If my body is never retrieved, don’t worry: know that I’m at peace Lopatka...
Airbags That Kill: Can Manufacturers Be Found Guilty of a Criminal Offence?
This article refers to a recent Australian announcement of yet another fatal airbag concern, and although the investigation is in its early stages, we shall explore the company involved and revisit the previous situation with the Japanese company Takata corporation,...
Contract Killings: Arranging Murders for Vengeance, or Political, Social or Financial Gain
This article will discuss the evolution and use of a specific category of the offence of murder known as contract killings, also known as arranged or paid assassinations. We will take you through several examples of these offences throughout history, their...
There’s a Dire Need for a National Forensic Science Authority
Sue Neill-Fraser is currently living in the Tasmanian community under strict parole condtions, including having to wear an ankle bracelet, which will continue on for another decade, in relation to the murder of her de facto partner Bob Chappell on...
Honour Killings: Committing Murder to Restore Reputation
If ever the label attached a crime is a misnomer, perhaps it is the offence of ‘honour killing’. This category of murder is where a person intentionally kills another to protect and/or restore the dignity and repute held hitherto for someone...
What is the Mental Element of Murder in New South Wales?
Colombian student Hector Enrique Valencia was initially charged with murder over the killing of Kimberley McRae in her Coogee apartment in January 2020, as well as the alternative charge of manslaughter. The 23-year old pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the...
Should Parents Who Unintentionally Leave Children to Die in Hot Cars Be Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter?
A Sydney man won’t be charged over the death of his 3-year old son who he left in a hot, closed car all day. While social media has gone into overdrive with its typical judgemental comments, some might argue that...
