Stephen 'Shorty' Jamieson: 37 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit?
Presented by the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence, the University of Melbourne.
How to Register:
- To register for in-person attendance, please click ‘Reserve a spot’, above right.
- To register for zoom attendance, please email Eleanor Kettle at eleanor.kettle@unimelb.edu.au
Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson was a homeless 22-year-old when – on the basis of his nickname – he was charged with the brutal 1988 abduction, rape, and murder of Janine Balding.
Two years later, he was sentenced to life in prison, where he remains to this day.
Yet the major evidence against him was an apparent confession transcribed by detectives as a ‘record of interview’ – under conditions that have now been acknowledged at the highest levels to pose a significant risk of ‘verballing’ (presenting a confession that was never really made).
Presented by the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence, the University of Melbourne.
How to Register:
- To register for in-person attendance, please click ‘Reserve a spot’, above right.
- To register for zoom attendance, please email Eleanor Kettle at eleanor.kettle@unimelb.edu.au
Stephen ‘Shorty’ Jamieson was a homeless 22-year-old when – on the basis of his nickname – he was charged with the brutal 1988 abduction, rape, and murder of Janine Balding.
Two years later, he was sentenced to life in prison, where he remains to this day.
Yet the major evidence against him was an apparent confession transcribed by detectives as a ‘record of interview’ – under conditions that have now been acknowledged at the highest levels to pose a significant risk of ‘verballing’ (presenting a confession that was never really made).
Join an expert panel to hear the facts of Stephen’s case and consider its ongoing relevance in 2026. Followed by Q and A.
The Panel:
Peter Breen
- Solicitor, former politician, long-time supporter of Stephen Jamieson.
- Author of Shorty: Mistaken Identity or Stitch-Up (Wilkinson Publishing).
- Recent guest on podcast Australian True Crime episode ‘Never to be released?’
Professor Michele Ruyters
- Director of Bridge of Hope Innocence Initiative (BOHII)
- Currently investigating Stephen Jamieson’s case.
Associate Professor Rod Gardner
- Linguistics expert, University of Queensland.
- Provided compelling evidence in Stephen Jamieson’s 2001 application to have his conviction reviewed – rejected by the reviewing judge for very unsatisfactory reasons.
Professor Helen Fraser
- Director of the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence.
- Author of ‘You’ve got the wrong Shorty!’: Further insights into the legal misconceptions that cause transcript injustice in forensic contexts. Australian Journal of Linguistics.
For any questions please contact Eleanor Kettle on eleanor.kettle@unimelb.edu.au
Good to know
Highlights
- 2 hours
- In person
Location
Room 407, Babel Building, the University of Melbourne
Grattan Street
Parkville, VIC 3010
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