NZ Innocence Project

Three News
May 16 2007; 19:12

The Innocence Project speaks to Campbell Live

The Privy Council has quashed David Bain’s murder convictions which means, as the law defines it, he is no longer guilty, but it does not mean he has been found not guilty.

If David Bain is indeed not guilty, he will join the list of people like Arthur Allan Thomas, Rex Haig and David Dougherty, New Zealanders put in jail for terrible crimes they did not commit.

Victoria University’s School of Psychology has recently established a research unit to look at cases where convictions may be dubious.

Known as the Innocence Project, it will focus particularly on the use of psychological evidence – evidence that can easily become contaminated.

Campbell Live talks to the manager of the Innocence Project.









Radio NZ
May 16 2007; 13:14

Victoria University says Bain case highlights need for Innocence Project

Victoria University in Wellington says the Bain case shows why the country needs a so-called Innocence Project.

The university has just set up an Innocence Project which aims to prevent serious miscarriages of justice.

A researcher Matthew Gerrie says the project follows in the path of similar ones around the world and examines possible cases of miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions.

Dr Gerrie says project workers are already looking at a number of different cases that they might investigate, although he's declined to say which ones.