John Button

John BUTTON

After forty years, John Button was finally exonerated of the 1963 manslaughter of his then girlfriend, Rosemary Anderson.

Button was accused of driving his car in to his girlfriend as she walked along the road. Button has spoken of the trauma of the extensive interrogating by the police as well as the beating and how he was coerced in to signing a confession. However he had always maintained his innocence.

Originally charged with murder, with a death sentence if convicted, John was instead convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He spent five years behind bars after being released on parole; however the stigma of being branded a killer loomed over his head for almost forty years before a pro bono team of lawyers and volunteers fought to clear his name.

In 2002, after his third attempt at an appeal, Button was exonerated by the WASCA deciding that the confession of serial killer Edgar Cooke combined with the fresh evidence of a motor vehicle expert that concluded that it was not possible for Button’s car to have struck the victim demonstrated that there was a miscarriage of justice.

T H E I N N O C E N C E P R O J E C T WA

THE FACES OF

EXONERATION

Date of Incident: 10-2-1963

Date of Conviction: 4-5-1963

Exoneration Date: 25-2-2002

Charge: Wilful murder

Conviction: Manslaughter

Sentence: 10 years

Sentence Served: 5 years

Contributing Causes: False confession

Compensation: Yes