Jack Moore's "Letters to the Editor" Page - Justice.

SUBJECTS
  1. The Criminal Justice System
  2. Surprise Evidence
  3. Police protection *
  4. False statements *
  5. Stacking for the motorist (Moral Support)
  6. Court Records (Quality Assurance in Court)
  7. Law week
  8. In the depths of crime
  9. Police force or service (In Depth)
  10. John Button Case Simca at museum
  11. Disinterested judges (Cavalier justice in Perth too)
  12. Grief for people we didn't know.
  13. Spare

    * Ref. to Kevin Moran

Other pages
  1. Government in General - ? letters
  2. Constitutional Government - ? letters
  3. Local Government - ? letters
  4. Daylight Saving - 3 letters
  5. Green Issues
  1. Religion
  2. Taxation
  3. Technical
  4. Traffic Control
  5. War
  6. Miscelaneous
  7. Back to intro. page

11 October 1994
To the "West Australian"
Dear Sir,
The Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system is made up of various parties, including the criminals, the Police, and the justices at the various levels in the courts. This "system" is contaminated, each by the other, and the best thing to do is keep outside the system, despite the efforts of those inside to get you in.
What needs to be realised is that the Police need the criminals to justify themselves.
I am also concerned that judges are telling people they sentence that they received a lighter sentence because they pleaded not guilty. This is very threatening to the innocent people who do still get prosecuted. In any case a person is entitled to a fair trial.

Yours Faithfully,


11/2/97
To the "Wanneroo Times" (Published)
Dear Sir,

SURPRISE EVIDENCE

In a recent murder case, the acquittal of the defendant may have been due to the surprise defence evidence.
This evidence was completely unexpected by the prosecution.
Surprise evidence has no place in a fair trial. When the prosecution in the above murder case stop squirming about their loss, they should remember that surprise evidence is usually used against the defendant.
They won't willingly do anything to help the defence.
So I would like to say that the prosecution evidence can be obtained under the Freedom of Information Act as it relates to the person accused.

Yours Faithfully,


9 July 1999
The Editor,
The West Australian
Dear Sir,

POLICE PROTECTION

I refer to letter published 26/6/99 from Kevin Moran of Hillarys. He complained that 2 police officers were assaulted when they entered property without a warrant.

If the writer was Kevin James Moran, police officer at Inglewood police station in 1974, I would like to inform you (the editor) that this officer mistook my brick and tile house in Inglewood for a caravan in Sorrento, entered my house with a warrant for someone else, and wasted my time in an insulting way, in company with a young constable, no doubt learning how to upset the public. Never did get an apology.

I think the public need protection from the Police!

Yours Faithfully,

PS Please feel free to pass this on to the person(s) concerned.


June 2, 2000
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times
Dear Sir,

FALSE STATEMENTS

referring to the letter above:

I also state that Kevin James Moran made a false statement to police about a previous visit to my house which I have since referred to as the extortion case, also for general publication.

I would like you to consider the following for publication in you paper:

Dear Sir

So a retired policeman has written a book about the police in colonial times (WT May 30).

I hope the book is accurate about the way police entered indigenous peoples' property without invitation and violated the law of the land. The author, Kevin Moran would know about that from his own experience, as he entered my house without authority when he mistook my brick and tile house in Inglewood for a caravan in Sorrento, and acted in an insulting way towards me.

As for his book representing a return to truth, I can tell you I have reason to believe he made a false statement to police about my behaviour. No doubt this is recorded in a police notebook for some future "researcher" to put in a book.

I for one will not be buying or reading his book.

Yours Faithfully,


June 9, 2000
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times (Published)
Dear Sir,

Stacking FOR the Motorist
(Accused will not be alone in court)

Regarding Steve Carrol's possible court appearance for speeding after being caught out without warning (Letters, June 6).

He appears to be apprehensive about being heard on his day in court. His apprehension is well founded, of course - we can't have police wasting their time in failed court cases can we?

But to even things up, I offer to attend court and witness proceedings. Mr Carrol will know he is not alone and being looked on as a time waster by others attending. Would you please draw the attention of my offer to Mr Carrol.

Yours Faithfully,


18 March 2001
The Editor
The West Australian
Dear Sir
COURT RECORDS
(QUALITY ASSURANCE)

Your article "sister takes law to free convict" (West, Mar 17) prompts me to bring up the subject of quality assurance.
US citizen Ken Waters served 20 years in jail for murder because his alibi could not be checked.
He was in a courtroom at the time of the crime. If this court had a rudimentary quality system, his presence would have been recorded.
So do our courts know who is present in court? I doubt it. This sort of failure can cost lives!

Regards


June 8, 2001
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times
Dear Sir,

Law week

It is law week and some people will be shown round the law courts. If they attend the magistrates court, they will see a lot of cases dealt with quickly and efficiently. First come the guilty pleas where the defendant's lawyer is present. The magistrate will frown slightly at the defendant but smile at the lawyer while he craves the indulgence of the bench. he will point out that the offence was at the lower end of the scale or that the defendant is a good person and will suffer unduly if punished say by losing his licence.

Next come the guilty pleas from others, followed by the cases of the accused who do not attend. Observers will be impressed with the fairness with which these people are dealt with, mostly convicted and sentenced in their absence. Little do they realise this is not allowed under the "Magistrates Court Act". Nor do they realise the court takes minimal action to ensure summonses are received by the accused.

By this time the crowd in the courtroom will have dwindled and remaining defendants will be lucky to be dealt with before lunch.

The visitors should stay and watch a defended case. They would see the way the magistrates smiles at the prosecutor and his witnesses, but frowns at the defendant. The defendant has had his nerves shattered with the long wait, and will probably lose their case anyway.

But I expect it will all seem reasonable to the visitor, as they have only attended the once. They can go home and tell their friends that it is best to plead guilty as it is less trouble in the end.

Regards


18 November 2002
The Editor,
Community Newspapers (Published)
Dear Sir
IN THE DEPTHS OF CRIME

We have to agree with Philip Achurch (Community, 14 November) that crime is a big problem, and needs a cooperative approach to improve the situation.
The fact that the alleged car-jacking gang has been caught does not alter the need for all of us to do something.
But the reported approach by the French government seems to sum up what is really wrong with society. If the bill "targets squatters, pimps, tramps and beggars", it targets the poor. Now we have to ask, why are they poor?
If we had full employment, most of these problems would go away. We really need to target the economic rationalist, who have abolished jobs of low paid folk, and replaced them with a new elite who are not competent but cost the economy too much.
We also really need to ask if it is so important to force the unemployed to go for interviews for non existent jobs. Pay them the dole if they are unemployed! But make it taxable. Less incentive to steal that way, and I don't want to be the victim again.
Mr Achurch's suggestion, on the other hand, will mean a new prison building program, and even more non productive people.
So what do we do? lock up the homeless or create meaningful jobs?

Regards


29 April 2004
The Editor,
Wanneroo Times. (Published) NOTE Copy to Lee Zehnder
Dear Sir
Police force or service?

Recent letters to your paper about neighborhood watch and renaming the police back to "The Police Force" prompts me to write some of my thoughts on the organisation and how it seems to operate.
The recent Royal Commission was certainly not complementary, but what stands out in my mind is the senior officer who called a detective sergeant under him he was a "dog" and would never be promoted because he gave evidence at the hearings.
Reports from the Commission indicate only major corruption allegations were dealt with, and I have heard that traffic matters were excluded.
This is an area where keen young constables come to realise that "higher up" are not necessarily there for the public good, but for self advancement and to support the organisation, right or wrong.
Remember the kid taken to Fremantle police station?
Gave a bit of lip to an officer who then hit him and broke his jaw.
The officer was sacked fairly soon after. But what I remember most is the impression that it was routine by the nonchalant actions of the officer in charge seen on TV.
It took much longer to sack those Bunbury hoons driving a police car at 120 in a 60 zone.
Talking of Bunbury, remember the barmaid who sold discount beer because her colleagues did, and was charged with fraud? The police commissioner claimed he "had to charge her because there was evidence".
I can nominate several cases where there is evidence, but no charges were laid. Please explain!
I have had great difficulty getting information related to me from the police under the "Freedom of Information act". Virtually nil despite several applications and follow up requests.

Following information NOT published:

So I looked up some statistics on the Office of the Information Commissioner. Looking at the police and 3 other organisations at random, cooperation is lacking in the police.

Least refused access was CALM at zero, but with edited access 28.6%. Admittedly a small sample.
Next best was Fremantle hospital and Health with 1.2% refused, edited access 4.9%.
Then Acacia Prison 6.25% refused, edited access 12.5%.
Now the police, 11.5% refused, edited access 84.2%.

So what are they trying to hide?
The police are supposed to be members of the community and people you can trust. Who thinks this is the case?

Regards


11 June 2004
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times
Dear Sir,

John Button Case.

Interesting to see Estelle Blackburn has got her name on the Sorrento Quay walk of fame. (Author's name set in concrete - WT 8 june)
Readers may be interested to know that the Fremantle Motor museum has a display regarding the John Button case.
They have a Simca car used to test the effect on a dummy being hit by the car, and a DVD running continuously showing a movie of the tests. Other related material is displayed at the museum.
Well worth a visit for all the other cars and motorcycles on display as well!

Regards


April 4 2005
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times (Published)
Dear Sir,

Disinterested judges.

It has been noted that a judge in the Bali trial of Miss Corby was reading a book during the trial.

It has also been noted she is considered guily until proved innocent.

Not fair you might say, and it would never happen here.

Wrong! Typical of what happens in a magistrates' court. Even had one magistrate tell me "I'm not interested in evidence". Yes! and the case was "proved" despite independent evidence, stupid prosecution case and obvious perjury by police witnesses.

Regards


December 16 2005
The Editor,
The Wanneroo Times (Published)
Dear Sir,

Grief for people we didn't know.

Morna-Dawn Jacobs is misguided if she thinks we should grieve for drug users (outpouring of grief misguided WT 13 December).

These people chose to take drugs, and will take them regardless of success or failure of people like Nguyen Tuong Van.

In fact reducing the flow of drugs serves to raise the price, meaning an increased number of burglaries. As a victim of burglary and my wife losing jewellery of sentimental value, probably sold for a "fix", perhaps you should grieve for burglary victims.

Morna-Dawn has hit on one thing though. May I call it "grief by media". A media led outpouring of grief for the Tuong Van family was a bit like that for Princess Di, in other words, people we don't know.

Regards


 

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