Lessons from Folbigg: AAFS wrongful convictions symposium

NOTE: THE VENUE HAS RECENTLY CHANGED. THIS EVENT WILL NOW BE HELD AT THE MONASH UNIVERSITY LAW CHAMBERS, 555 LONSDALE ST, MELBOURNE. ALL EXISTING TICKETS ARE VALID.

The Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences (Victorian Branch), in partnership with University of New South Wales, Monash Law School, and Griffith University, invites you to a half-day symposium on what we might learn from the wrongful conviction of Kathleen Folbigg. Join us for a series of critical presentations and discussions on the case and its wider implications (see program below).

Registration (free of charge) is required.

Speakers

In alphabetical order:

Prof Kate Burridge Monash University

The Hon Justice John Champion Supreme Court of Victoria

The Hon John Coldrey KC

Prof Stephen Cordner AM Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

Prof Emma Cunliffe Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia

Prof Gary Edmond School of Law, UNSW

Prof Jeremy Gans Law School, University of Melbourne

Rhanee Rego Kathleen Folbigg's solicitor

Assoc Prof Mehera San Roque Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW

Assoc Prof Mai Sato Faculty of Law, Monash University

Prof Carola Vinuesa FRS Royal Society Wolfson Fellow

Program

Subject to change

12:45 Guest arrival and registration

13:00 Welcome, opening and symposium Chair (The Hon Justice John Champion)

13:10 Griffith/Monash ARC Project on Wrongful Convictions (Assoc Prof Mai Sato)

13:20 Overview of R v Folbigg and its timeline (Assoc Prof Mehera San Roque)

13:50 Murder, myths and motherhood: the missteps in the conviction of Kathleen Folbigg, and its aftermath (Prof Emma Cunliffe)

14:40 Inside the camp (Rhanee Rego)

15:00 Coffee break

15:15 The mishandling of science and medicine, and legal missteps:

1. Forensic pathology after Folbigg – R v Lang (Prof Gary Edmond)
2. Spare a thought for juries! (Prof Jeremy Gans)

16:00 The story of the genetics (Prof Carola Vinuesa FRS )

16:30: The words that helped wrongly convict Kathleen Folbigg (Prof Kate Burridge & Prof Stephen Cordner AM)

17:00: R v Matthey – Victoria’s Folbigg case (The Hon John Coldrey KC)

17:20: Panel discussion (Kate Burridge, John Coldrey, Emma Cunliffe, Gary Edmond, Jeremy Gans, Rhanee Rego, Mehera San Roque. Chair: Stephen Cordner)