Murder, Crimes Act 1900 Section 18; appeal; miscarriage of justice; re-trial ordered
Facts – Murder Conviction LC v R
LC was found guilty of murder following a trial in the Supreme Court of NSW. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 18 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 14 years and 6 months. LC appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeal against both his conviction and sentence.
Held
The Court of Criminal Appeal held that there had been a miscarriage of justice as an alternative verdict of manslaughter was not left to the jury. This was despite such an alternative being ‘open on the evidence’. The CCA held that LC had lost a real chance of being found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter. A re-trial has been ordered.
Testimonial
“Thank you for what you have done for my son. I cannot tell you how happy we are to have received this news. Thank you for your hard work.” – LC
