Another key thing was that there was no saliva on the jumpsuit even though it hadn't rained in the interim. The Chamberlains claimed that Azaria had worn a matinee jacket over it. The prosecution maintained that that was just an excuse and the matinee jacket didn't exist. I describe it as a key thing because it was very important but was not as damning. There was an abundance of evidence that a dingo took the baby and Chamberlains had the matinee jacket explanation so it was a credibility issue (that probably didn't go in their favour prior to the discovery). By contrast the blood was damning as it was consistent with a misdeed and hard to otherwise explain.

After Lindy had served 3 years in jail the matinee jacket was found and by that time blood could be excluded as the identity of the 'foetal blood' referred to above. Accordingly, Lindy was loosed.

It might not be irrelevant to note that a forensic expert who gave evidence at the trial was brought over from the UK. He had given testimony over there in a case and in consequence the accused ended up spending time at Her Majesty's pleasure. However when the forensic testimony (which was pretty much the basis for the conviction) was proved false the accused was released. Interestingly, Chamberlain's lawyers raised that at trial but I don't believe that the media reported it.

I'm with Ludwig on this.

I also thought she was guilty (for a while) because I put too much faith in the media to tell the truth.

However, when I saw the faked images of the baby in a black christening shawl and the printed "fact" that the name Azaria means "sacrifice in the wilderness" I began to have serious doubts.

What chance does anyone in this country have of a fair trial when the media are allowed to get away with telling blatant lies simply for the sake of selling newspapers and maximising the advertising reach of their sponsors?

Looking at the media coverage of current disputes it seems nothing has changed. In fact, with the growing proliferation of extremist radio broadcasters it's probably even worse.

At least we now have alternative sources of information, depending on who you can trust there as well.

Only one thing's for certain and that is that you should always treat the media with a degree of healthy scepticism.

Well the Chamberlain's have now been completly vindicated ? A coroner has determined that a Dingo took the baby 30 odd years ago ?

It would appear prima facie the NT Detectives significantly botched their brief of evidence. The then, NT Forensic Branch made many errors in their examination of the evidence relevant to the facts.

Much good evidence gathered by police at the crime scene, appeared to be compromised in some way. Apparently, even other evidence was later proved, inadmissible because 'continuinty of possession' failed to be properly established.

So the mistakes, the oversights, and many other significant errors simply went on, ad nauseam.

Even the preliminary crime scene on the night, was not properly preserved. As many of the well meaning folk there, all tried to lend a hand, in an endeavour to find the missing baby.

I would have thought, law students will probably study the many complexities associated with this case, until far into the future.

Something I CAN share with you, basic crime scene preservation training for police, has been well and truly updated, as a result of what was learnt from the events of the 'Dingo/Baby' case, of thirty or so years ago.

In conclusion, I was always told the NT Police are some of the best trained in the country, nothing really has changed my believe, hitherto.

<< Ludwig, I came in to argue with you about the Chamberlain fiasco. ; ) Nevertheless I'm glad that you realise that she couldn't have done it. >>

Hello mjpb. Nice to hear from you. I remember our arguments of a few years back on this forum with fondness. We had strongly differing opinions but it was always a civil and sensible discussion, which I thank you for.

If you would like a good argument, for old time’s sake, please just start up a general thread on some aspect of law or road safety. We’ll no doubt disagree strongly and have a right royal blue over it. Oh what fun that would be!! ( :>)

But hey, we agree here.

I’ve always very strongly held the view that a dingo simply slipped into the tent and took the baby. So easy.

And nothing about trying to apportion blame to Lindy and Michael really made any sense.

This brings to mind the Joanne Lees case. The rumours and trial by media was just as weighted against Joanne Lees as it was for Lindy Chamberlain. Joanne Lees didn’t come across when interviewed by the media as the public expected either. Like an experienced actor in a hollywood movie showing all sorts of dramatic emotions. There was huge public judgement about that, as there was in the Lindy Chamberlain trial.

Luckily in Joanne’s Case the Blood found on her shirt was proven to be a DNA match for the fellow who was eventually charged with that crime. You may have seen a few months back where some Morons tried to run a <maybe Joanne did do it documentary> but were howled down by the media in no uncertain terms because the guilty fellow’s blood was on her shirt for heaven’s sake. Apparently, the people who put the show together were unaware of that little fact. Unreal.

It seems to be a case of blame the victim in a lot of these cases, as people don't want to believe the truth could be that horrible.
I wonder if people would have been more willing to believe a wolf had taken the chamberlain baby?
The dingoes are probably much the same as wolves only without the heavy coat.

I'm also old enough to remember the entire squalid affair from the start. I was appalled at the number of apparently intelligent people who were convinced that Chamberlain was guilty without being able to provide a coherent justification for their belief.

Dingoes are dangerous animals,

Lindy Chamberlain is another victim of the tabloid press and its moronic readers--it was reported on ABC radio today the a majority of those Herald Sun readers polled are still convinced of her guilt.