Xanthe Mallett

Dr Xanthe Mallett is back after Cold Case Investigations with a look at solved criminal cases where there is reasonable doubt attached. Dr Mallett looks at miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions where police bias, false confessions, dodgy eyewitness statements and ineffectual science has lead to the wrong person being convicted for a crime.

Given Dr Mallett's position as an Australian Forensic Anthropologist and Criminologist, I assumed we'd start by looking at Lindy Chamberlain's case given the 40 year anniversary of baby Azaria's death. While Dr Mallett does touch on the Chamberlain case in her Introduction, I couldn't help but be disappointed Sue Neill-Fraser's case doesn't rate a mention in her book.*

Having said that, Dr Mallett clarifies early on that there is an unfortunate abundance of wrongful convictions she could have included:
"For every case I have included there are 100 others I could have chosen, which would have highlighted the same failings and errors that led to an innocent person going to prison." Page 17
In Reasonable Doubt, Dr Mallett provides a detailed look at 6 cases of wrongful convictions and manages to make reference to a range of other cases and examples throughout the course of the book; many outside of Australia.

As in Cold Case Investigations, Dr Mallett includes Expert Inserts to expound on certain elements of the law, investigative process or science to better inform the reader. Of these, I found the section on forensic linguistics to be the most interesting. However, it should be noted that regular consumers of true crime - books, podcasts or documentaries - will already be quite familiar with the content found in these segments.

Reasonable Doubt was an interesting read however the author lost me at the end when she drew a connection between being isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic and trapped at home for our own safety having very little contact with the outside world to being in prison. Umm, no. They're not even vaguely in the same category.

The one thing I do agree on though is a mutual respect and admiration for the work done by those volunteering for innocence initiatives like The Bridge of Hope Foundation based in Melbourne. They do incredible work and the dedication required to work on a case for years without a breakthrough is mind blowing.

My major 'takeaway' from this book was Dr Mallett's overview of the Lawyer X case. I'd seen it all over the news but due to a general lack of interest, had never taken the time to find out exactly what the fuss was all about. Now that I have a general understanding of Nicola Gobbo's transgressions, I'm now equally disgusted with the parties involved.

Reasonable Doubt by Dr Xanthe Mallett is recommended for true crime newbies and those interested in the wrongfully convicted, and precisely how miscarriages of justice can take place within our criminal justice system.

* Copy courtesy of Pan Macmillan Australia *… (más)

In Reasonable Doubt forensic anthropologist and criminologist Xanthé Mallett examines the flaws in the Australian criminal justice system that have contributed to five wrongful murder convictions, and a shocking legal scandal whose repercussions will likely see the guilty go free.

Reasonable Doubt is not intended as an indictment of the system as a whole, Mallett’s focus is on the failures of law that lead to a wrongful conviction, irrespective of the innocence or guilt of the accused. She presents an intelligent and thoughtful study of its weaknesses, which range from poor police investigative processes, to unreliable evidence, to corruption, resulting in convictions that ostensibly contradict the intent of justice.

While I’ve always accepted miscarriages of justice happen, I was still shocked to learn just how badly things can go wrong, and how difficult it is to correct those mistakes. The case studies presented span the country, and involve alleged perpetrators from different socioeconomic backgrounds and races. I was only vaguely familiar with two of them but found each case fascinating.

Mallett’s research appears to be meticulous and impartial, based on her investigation of the facts available. She includes information from experts in their fields to explain relevant legal concepts or provide further forensic detail.

With its accessible narrative, and thought-provoking and fascinating subject, Reasonable Doubt is a must read for fans of the true crime genre, or anyone with interest in the Australian legal system.… (más)

I've been on a true crime watching, listening and reading spree these past few months and the latest offering is Cold Case Investigations by leading Forensic Anthropologist Dr Xanthe Mallett. Seven Australian cold cases were selected for this collection and Dr Mallett takes us through each case.

The Wanda Beach murders, the disappearance of the Beaumont children, the abduction of William Tyrrell and the identity of Mr Cruel are well known cold cases in Australia. It is hoped that bringing light to these cases and keeping them in the public eye will eventually lead to a break through.

What surprised me were the other three cases chosen for the book, in which the offenders have already been identified, captured and prosecuted. In particular, I refer to the chapters on Ivan Milat, Daniel Holdom and Ashley Coulston. In these cases, the offender has been sentenced but the author postulates that further cold cases and missing persons could be attributed to these incarcerated offenders. Whilst I have no doubt these perpetrators probably have committed crimes unknown to police, I wouldn't classify them worthy of focus in a book of cold case investigations. If the victims are unknown, how can they be cold cases? Perhaps this is a new category of crime victim worthy of further exploration and its own book.

In addition to these main chapters, Mallett includes sections entitled Forensic Science Explained in shaded and bordered sections reminiscent of Unsolved Australia - Lost Boys, Gone Girls by Justine Ford, also published by Pan Macmillan Australia this year. These sections cover forensic techniques involved in investigating cold cases and include topics like DNA, fingerprinting and blood groups. These sections would be informative and helpful for early readers of true crime, however for seasoned readers like me it was overkill.

Even viewers of the odd TV crime show would be familiar with the science included here and the opportunity to inform the reader of more detailed forensic techniques was lost. I would also presume that the kind of reader picking up a book like this will already possess this kind of foundational knowledge.

Towards the end of the book, there's a section entitled 'But have you ever heard of these missing children?' Here Mallett mentions the disappearance of 11 month old Darren Shannon in 1973, and 19 month old Rahma El-Dennaoiui in 2005. On page 252, the author says:

"A number of journalists have likened Rahma's case to that of Madeleine McCann, but I bet most people would not know Rahma's little face if they saw it."

And she's 100% right, I wouldn't! So why not set things right and include a photo of her in the book? Why publish two photos of well-known missing toddler William Tyrrell and then neglect to educate the reader by including a photo of Rahma?

Dr Xanthe Mallett has had a fascinating - and impressive - career as a forensic criminologist, university lecturer, forensic practitioner, television presenter and now published author. Here she has tried to shed light on Australia's darker side of crime and ultimately seek justice for the victims and their family. I can't help thinking she may have been able to achieve more given the opportunity to expand on the cases, however there is every hope someone reading this book may come forward with information.

Cold Case Investigations by Australian author Dr Xanthe Mallett is recommended reading for those new to the true crime genre and those unfamiliar with solved and unsolved homicide cases in Australia.

* Copy courtesy of Pan Macmillan Australia *… (más)

Those who follow my blog will know that true crime is not really my cup of tea, but each year I set myself a target to read a little outside the genre of crime fiction.

MOTHERS WHO MURDER looks at a number of Australian cases where the author feels there has been the possibility of a miscarriage of justice. She begins with the case of Lindy Chamberlain, where Lindy claimed a dingo had taken her baby when the family were camping at Uluru. The Northern Territory police decided that Lindy's story could not possibly be true and she was eventually convicted of the murder and disposal of baby Azaria although no body has ever been found. Then the conviction was quashed and an apology issued. But nothing can compensate for the thirty years of anguish suffered by Lindy and her family. For me this chapter acted as a sort of benchmark as I was familiar with the trial.

Seven individual cases are given individual chapters: mainly of mothers who appear to have been responsible for the deaths of multiple children over a number of years. In most cases there were two or even three children who were thought originally to have died of SIDS. The death of the fourth child raised a flag and sparked an investigation because authorities felt that the fourth death raised questions about the earlier three.

While the author began with these multiple death cases she also investigated the deaths of individual children, mainly interested in why they happened. These cases are dealt with in less detail, and include cases where a father has taken the life of his children, and sometimes his spouse.

The chapter on Lindy Chamberlain sets the pattern for those to follow: the background to the case, a description of the main events, why an investigation was conducted and how it panned out, the alternative who (who else might have committed the crime), the how (how the prosecutors behaved and why- their agenda), the role and influence of the expert witnesses, the inquests, the media influence, comparative cases, and the closure of the case. Each time the author identifies how expert witnesses had an influence outside their own area of expertise, often in response to the agenda of the prosecutors who were trying to make the facts fit the case they wanted to prove.

The author tried hard to be objective and detached in her descriptions and conclusions but she says she recognizes that she became emotionally involved, so horrified was she by what she saw that some children had suffered. She says too that "beyond the children who have been killed, there are many more victims": the police who have to investigate the cases, the social workers, neighbours and community. She does point out times where the responsible authorities, whether because of work overload, inexperience, or lack of follow up, did not take action that might have prevented the death of a child.
She also considers the role of the media in raising community awareness, helping to identify perpetrators, or searching for missing children. She believes that in most cases, while some of the media has been sensational and wrong in their opinions, the media has acted responsibly.

The author sees herself as a "seasoned forensic scientist", with experience first of all in the UK and then in Australia, and draws on cases from both countries, believing there is much to be learnt by comparisons. She points out how some cases and their outcomes in the UK have actually led to precedents being set in legal procedures.

I found this book well presented, engrossing reading, guaranteed to make the reader think.… (más)