Gilham謀殺案

JEFFREY GILHAM, now a free man, said he was looking forward to the first Christmas with his three-year-old daughter, on his return home yesterday.
Standing outside his St Ives home, Mr Gilham, 41, hugged his wife, Robecca, and gave a short statement. ''This week has been very overwhelming for us. I'm glad to be back home with my family and we're all looking forward to a very special Christmas together, seeing as it'll be the first one I'll have with my youngest daughter,'' he said.
Mr Gilham was released on bail on Friday, after winning an appeal against a conviction for murdering his parents, Helen, 55, and Stephen, 58, in August 1993 at their Woronora home.

The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal is yet to decide whether to order a retrial or acquit Mr Gilham. Even if it orders a retrial, the Director of Public Prosecutions may decide not to proceed.
Mr Gilham has always maintained his innocence, saying it was his brother, Christopher, who had stabbed his parents to death and then set them on fire. Mr Gilham admitted to killing his brother in response, and was given a five-year good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to manslaughter in 1995.
But at Mr Gilham's trial in 2008, the Crown alleged he had killed all three family members and then set the house on fire, and he was jailed for life.
The prosecution's case hinged on forensic evidence that suggested Christopher had died before the fire started, but in Mr Gilham's appeal, a leading toxicologist said Christopher was almost certainly alive at the time the fire was lit.
Mr Gilham's friends, family and neighbours had spent countless hours working on his appeal.

(5/12/2011 Sydney Morning Herald)

Gilham案並非報章報導得這樣簡單，上訴庭的裁決還沒有上載，實際推翻定罪的理據為何，暫時只能依賴報章的報導。從2009年3月11日的判刑紀錄謄本，可看到更多背景資料。

被告Jeffrey Gilham和哥哥Christopher跟50多歲的父母同住，他們一家在社區中受人尊重，兩兄弟讀書成績好，被告尤為同儕典範。1993年8月28日早上4時30分，被告赤裸上身，穿著短褲，奔往鄰居處求助，告訴鄰居Christopher殺死了父母，然後放火，自己因此殺了Christopher。

被告被帶往警署錄取口供，他提供了較詳細的講法。被告稱他住在大屋外面的船屋(boathouse)，從內部對講電話(intercom)聽到母親在大屋的呼救聲，於是走進去看，見到Christopher站在躺在地上的母親身旁，正想點火，並向被告承認殺了父母，然後立即點火。被告呆站了幾秒，看着火勢蔓延。被告沒有救火，也沒有察看父母的狀況。他看到Christopher掉在地上的兇刀，拾了起來把Christopher殺了，然後走出屋外，順手關上玻璃門，跑到鄰居處求助。警察搜屋的時候發現一截用過來入油的膠喉，被告的解釋是他的父親在案發前的晚上替遊艇加汽油(但用錯了汽油)。

警方只告了他一項殺害Christopher的謀殺罪，扣押了一個月，他獲得擔保。1995年審訊的時候，控方接納了他承認誤殺，他被判簽保守行為5年(good behaviour bond)。同年的死因研訊也裁定是Christopher殺了父母。這件案本來是這樣了結，但到了2000年，被告的叔伯由原本相信被告清白，變成相信被告是殺害父母的真兇，觸發重新調查本案，也重新展開死因研訊。死因庭對案件重新評估立論，把案件轉介刑事檢控專員，建議控告被告謀殺父母，但刑事檢控專員不同意這看法，沒有採取行動。2001年被告的叔伯對被告提出私人檢控(private prosecution)，刑事檢控專員卻中途介入，撤銷了這件案(我不知道究竟是withdraw the case抑或enter nolle prosequi, 謄本沒有交代，我在李成康的禁錮事件 的blog介紹過香港私人傳票的法律程序，NSW信相也類似)。

2004年引發另一次重新調查該案，2006年刑事檢控專員終於檢控他兩項謀殺父母的控罪。2007年被告申請終止聆訊(stay of proceeding)理由是再檢控他對他造成迫害、不公平及違反一罪不能兩審原則(oppressive, unfair and in breach of the rule against double jeopardy)。法庭駁回申請，及後上訴也被上訴庭及高等法院((這裏的High Court相等於香港的CFA)駁回。

審訊終於在2008年2月開審，到了4月審結，但陪審團未能達成一致裁決而解散，同年10月再審，最後陪審團退庭商討(deliberation)8日才把被告定罪。這件波折重重的案件上星期判令上訴得直，會否重審暫時還未知曉。


昨天朋友之間閒談講起這件案，其中一點講到就是殺父母定罪得直，殺兄那項還有發展嗎？可以肯定講，殺兄那一項控罪已處理終結，不能兩審，屬於曾就同一控罪被定罪(autrefois convict)。我曾在一罪兩審 Double Jeopardy的blog講過NSW在2006年通過了一罪可以兩審的法例，但這項殺兄的控罪在16年前已處理了，新法例沒有追溯力，不能重新檢控他謀殺。

從這件案可見這裏警察辦案的能力，兒戲馬虎卻充滿自信。我看到上載了的幾篇不同階段的上訴，若果我是陪審員，我會把被告定罪。當然怎樣發展下去，還要拭目以待，朋友幾句閒聊，我卻多看幾十頁判辭去找答案，雖然花了時閒，自己卻有得益。