Peter Ellis--An Unsafe Conviction
At Contra Celsum we have previously called people's attention to what appears to be one of the worst violations of criminal due process and justice in New Zealand. It has been dubbed the Christchurch Creche Case. It involved the trial and conviction of one Peter Ellis.
Ellis is now dying of incurable cancer. His days upon earth are coming to an end. He wants to be vindicated before he dies. It should have happened years ago--but it is always hard for a justice system which has so many reputations to protect to admit a gross miscarriage of justice. For our part, we became convinced of the innocence of Ellis upon reading Lynley Hood's A City Possessed--a book demanding to be read.
During the trial of Ellis events were witnessed by a young court reporter, Martin van Beynen. Now, much older, Beynen recounts the Ellis trial(s).
Peter Ellis, seen here in 2003, is making a last-ditch attempt to clear his name, and Martin van Beynen believes that should happen.Ellis worked as a childcare worker at the Christchurch Civic Creche.
