Date of Incident: 17-8-1980
Date of Conviction: 29-10-1982
Exoneration Date: 15-9-1988
Charge: Murder
Conviction: Murder
Sentence: Life with hard labour
Sentence Served: 4 years
Contributing Causes: Community and media pressure, tunnel vision, poor police investigation
Compensation: Yes
Lindy CHAMBERLAIN
Lindy Chamberlain was convicted of the murder of Azaria Chamberlain even though evidence reflected a dingo having taken the baby.
Increasing pressure from the public saw Lindy subjected to one of the most high profile cases in Australia. In 1980, scientific blood evidence of the dingo theory from the coroner was quashed. After the federal court upheld the appeal in 1983, the High Court rejected the 1984 appeal.
The Supreme Court quashed the convictions in 1988, only after the Royal Commission recommended release in 1986. The Royal Commission deduced the evidence was conducive of a dingo having taken the baby.