Wrongfully jailed for 20 years, Australia’s ‘most hated woman’ likely to receive record compensation
GuardianDEC 2023
The case of Kathleen Folbigg — which has largely played out in the press — should force Australia to pursue legal reforms to its broken system, which failed to keep up with the science. With the speed of scientific advancements, the courts must evolve just as quickly to ensure that no one else sits unjustly in prison as their life passes by.
This gross miscarriage of justice stems from far beyond just a failure to keep with the science: efforts to prove her innocence were actively stifled by a complacent legal system that negligently relied purely on circumstantial evidence. It's time that Australia implement an independent post-conviction review commission to increase the effectiveness and trustworthiness of the criminal court system.