Introduction
Miscarriage of justice is defined as a failure of a court or judicial system to attain the ends of justice, especially one that results in the conviction of an innocent person (Oxford University Press, 2015).
One example of this is the McLeod-Lindsay Case as Alexandra McLeod-Lindsay was convicted of the attempted murder of his wife in 1964 in New South Wales, Australia and was pardoned on the 21st of August 1991. On the 15th of September 1964 Pamela Frances McLeod-Lindsay was viciously assaulted with a steel bar, which resulted in her being greatly disfigured, suffering brain damage and losing sight of one eye. Alexandra McLeod-Lindsay was sent to eighteen years hard labour.
This report will analyse the role, principles and responsibilities of the Investigators in the McLeod-Lindsay case, it will describe how the legal boundaries and operational requirements were applied and detailing the legal procedures that were applied. Also including evidence and factors that brought about the pardon and the problems that the case highlights for the adversary system and its use of evidence.
Roles, Principles and Responsibilities of the Investigator
According to Victoria Police (2015) the role, principles and responsibility of the investigators and detectives is to investigate reported crime and suspected criminal activity. They do this by:
- Gathering evidence and linking evidence to the crime and offender
- Take reports and statements from victims of and witnesses
In R. v. Gladue, the Supreme Court of Canada addressed the issue of proper interpretation of s. 718.2(3) for the first time. The accused was an Aboriginal women charged with second-degree murder for the killing her common-law husband. Gladue’s defence counsel did not raise that she was an Aboriginal offender in his submissions on sentence at trial and she was sentenced to three years imprisonment and a ten-month weapon prohibition. Gladue appealed her sentence to the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and again to the Supreme Court of Canada in December 1998. Although her appeal was dismissed again, the Court went to provide a framework for interpreting s. 718.2(e). In this case, it was determined that the Court was required to consider all reasonable alternatives to imprisonment for all offenders with particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders generally and not only to those living on the reserves. In particular, there needs to be more emphasis on restorative justice, where community members and the victim will also be involved in the process. The Court is allowed to take into account prior findings of guilt when determining the appropriate sentences and in some offences prior guilt will create a higher minimum sentence, which the Court
The purpose of this report is to discuss the matter The Queen V Bayley, which took place on the 29th of September 2012. Adrian bailey (serial rapist) was found guilty on charges of murder and rape, this report will discuss in detail the court proceedings that lead up to the imprisonment of Adrian Bayley and also the events prior to the kidnapping of Jill Meagher. The purpose of this report is to discuss the purpose of law in our society and how it applies to people who commit crimes in our community. As well as the purpose of criminal law in our community.
This is an example of a famous criminal case that has taken place in the United States:
Another role that the police have is searching people or vehicles. For example, in areas where there are people who drug deal, they would be able to deter people if needed of suspecting people of doing illegal things and to make sure that nothing dodgy is going on to prevent crimes and keep people away from danger.
This essay will explore how prosecutorial misconduct causes wrongful convictions in both the United States and Australia. This essay will also argue that rehabilitation and compensation should be provided by the state. A major flaw in the criminal justice system not only in the United States but also in Australia, is the failure to set forth a plan for the people who were exonerated to be accepted back into society. The lack of a plan for rehabilitation for the exonerated poses a problem for society since some might find it easier to find a job in prison then in the real world, this process makes it immensely difficult for prisoners to get acclimated back into society. The Australian Law Review Committee is an entity which evaluates and gives
The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze the practices conducted by law enforcement during the investigation of the murder of Ashley Smith. The following pages will discuss the crime scene investigation, the evidence collection, the investigative steps following the initial crime scene investigation, the interviews of witnesses and suspects, and other strategies performed by the acting case investigators. Constitutional challenges have surfaced regarding specific pieces of critical evidence and a section of this paper will analyze the admissibility of this evidence. Lastly this case’s law enforcement processes will be contrasted with textbook processes in an effort to determine the validity of the case’s outcome.
Justice is defined by the fairness in protection of rights and punishment of wrongs. This concept intends to offer a fair punishment that fits the offense. The term itself holds a positive connotation, in contrast to the word injustice. The United States’ judicial system built its operations off of granting justice to those put on trial. Judges within the judicial system strive to hold fair trials in order to prosecute offenders accordingly.
The justice system, criminal investigation processes and even newspapers have come such a long way since Gillette's trial in 1908 that the legal world he went through is nearly incomprehensible. Despite this immense progression, we obviously still have a long way to go as seen from the seriousness of death row exoneration numbers to the absurdity of the gossiping tabloids in the supermarket. Even though corruption is still present in some areas, we can rest assured that an unjust trial and sentence like Chester Gillette’s is not the mold for any United States citizen’s future thanks to the legal progression of the last
Q1.a) what duties do the police have in terms of investigating crime in Scotland? When there has been a crime committed and it has been reported to the police they are usually the first ones to arrive and attend to the scene. Depending on the crime committed and the levels of investigation needed their duties may vary but usually they are all same. When the police arrive at the scene they have the right to close of the area to the public to ensure that the crime scene isn’t contaminated, they are allowed to take statements and question eye witnesses, they have the right to detain suspects and bring them in for questioning, to collect evidence to build the case for the procurator fiscal for which a report will be sent to them, if it is required
Hall, D. E. (2014). Criminal Law and Procedure, 7th Edition: Cengage Learning. Retrieved November 10, 2017, from
Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, police and crime commissioners were created, these are bodies that are directly elected and as a result are directly accountable to the people by which they serve in. Police and crime commissioners have a statutory duty to “secure the maintenance of the police force and to secure that the police force is efficient and effective”
Criminal Law and Procedure, 7th Edition: Cengage Learning. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from
This landmark case in criminal procedure was marked by great public criticism for the liberal stance shown by the U.S. Supreme Court. It ensures defendant’s rights to what many people regarded as opening the door to convicted criminals to escape punishment through “technicalities”.
Our justice system regularly makes decisions that would be universally considered just and in the very same day makes decisions that are universally considered unjust. Based on this, justice must be more about the intention. For the sake of argument imagine a judge who intends with every fiber of his being to be just, makes a decision that in the end turns out to be unjust. I would say this man could still be considered just. Regardless of the outcome, the intention should determine the question of just or unjust. If that same judge admits his mistake and does his best to rectify the situation, he would certainly be considered just. On the other hand if he realizes the mistake and does nothing then he is most unjust. Human beings are incapable of unfailing justice, but when you intend to be just, you should then be considered a just person. So justice must be the intention of the person or entity to pursue truth and fairness.
“It’s a general problem not specific to the law of the United Kingdom a criminal justice system characterized by an emphasis on crime control rather than due process will inevitably produce miscarriage of justice.”