Murder by the Prosecution / Andrew L Urban

A disturbing expose of wrongful murder convictions: Sue Neill-Fraser, Henry Keogh, David Szach and Gordon Wood.

Exposing some grave mistakes in Australia’s not-so-trustworthy criminal justice system, film critic turned activist journalist Andrew L. Urban recounts how his life is changed when he is drawn into the field of wrongful convictions after reviewing a documentary about the case of Hobart grandmother, Sue Neill-Fraser, convicted of murder — without evidence. As he probes further, he comes across other cases and finds police investigations marred by tunnel vision; lawyers flouting the rule of law chasing convictions; courts admitting inadmissible (and false) forensic evidence; the Crown withholding exculpatory evidence; and worst of all, prosecutors making up murder scenarios.

Driven by disturbing discoveries over five years of research and writing, covering five extraordinary cases: Sue Neill-Fraser, Gordon Wood, Henry Keogh, David Szach, and Gary Nye — Andrew interviews specialist legal academic Dr Bob Moles and others as he charts the damning list of errors.

Bringing together his writings and interviews on the subject as well as his correspondence with legal academics and politicians, including Attorneys General, Andrew lists action points that if implemented could help reduce the incidence of wrongful convictions.

Andrew L. Urban is Publisher & Editor of urbancinefile.com.au, Australia’s award-winning weekly online movie magazine (weekly 1997-2017). As a freelance journalist since the 1980s, Andrew L. Urban has contributed over 2,000 articles and interviews to The Australian and The Australian Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, The Bulletin (no longer published), and many specialist publications. He created the iconic prime time TV interview series, Front Up and was Host on the World Movies Channel for 6 years (2002 – 2007). He was co-editor of Edge of the Known World, the history of the first 25 years of the Australian Film TV & Radio School. His first novel, If You Promise Not To Tell (Hodder Headline, 1995) was nominated for an inaugural Ned Kelly Award (crime fiction).