In October 2008, Rudy Guede was convicted of the murder of Meredith Kercher. He has just been released, although according to the Guardian, he had been given partial release three years ago and had been working in the library of a criminology centre, of all places. Many convicted murderers are released, and although the families […]
I thoroughly recommend the new documentary Amanda Knox to anyone interested in either human nature or the role of the media – which should include most of us. Here is the chance to hear the main protagonists tell their stories. Don’t be put off by the lukewarm reviews. Journalists don’t much like this film because it reveals so much about how journalism works – and it isn’t pretty.
Schapelle Corby – and her relationship with a very specific part of Australian opinion – has been intense. In 2004, she was arrested at Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport in possession of 4.1 kilograms of marijuana. She was found guilty of smuggling and sentenced to 20 years. Harsh, yes, but the Indonesian state has made no secret of stiff sentences for drug convictions. It is also worth noting that the judge presiding over the case, Linton Sirait, had not acquitted a single one of the 500 defendants standing trial on drug charges before him.
