|
Contents
|
Website News (June 21, 2007): 2 new guestbook entries.
Heather Osland was released from prison on Friday, July 22, 2005.
Click here to read a copy of Heather's statement.
Click here to listen to Heather reading the statement. (mp3 format, 1:51)
Click here to read the Press Release.
|
 |
Thursday May 17, 2007 - today the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Bracks Government's appeal against releasing documents they prepared in relation to Heather's Petition of Mercy. Under Freedom of Information, Heather had sought access to the documents, so as to better understand the reasons why the Bracks Government failed to show compassion in granting her mercy. Following the decision to deny her access to the documents, Heather gave a statement which reads as follows:
"My trial for the killing of my violent husband attracted widespread attention because of the use of "battered women's syndrome". There was community outrage about my 14 year sentence.
I applied for a Petition of Mercy on compassionate grounds but this was denied by the State Government. This lead to a huge community campaign about the injustice which resulted in my case becoming the catalyst to changes to the defenses to homicide laws.
Two weeks after my petition was denied the Attorney General Rob Hulls announced these changes to the homicide laws because of the outcry from you the public.
My harsh sentence has played a high toll on me and also on my extended family while the Government is HYPOCRITICAL. Attorney-General Rob Hulls said the extent of family violence was a national shame. It affected one in five Victorian women yet it feels like the Government and the Justice System has compounded my abuse further by denying my right under Freedom of Information to find out why they denied my Petition of Mercy in 2001.
Denying my petition kept me behind prison bars - not allowing me to return safely to my home rebuilding my strengths and faith in the system, but making me serve the remainder of my sentence before being released in July 2005 and parole until the year 2010.
His Honor Justice Stuart Morris gave me my first win and my first sense of victory in the Legal System when he gave me the right to view these documents way back in August 2005.
I have served my years in prison for the death of my violent and brutal husband, even though my son who struck the fatal blow that killed my husband was rightfully acquitted on the grounds of self defence. Yet the Government hides behind their cloaks of law while I try to rebuild my life the best way I can after 13½ years of abuse from my violent husband and now 14½ years at the hands of the justice system.
I want to keep an open heart and also an open mind - and not to become bitter.
The Government has used my case to change the laws in the justice system for other women of which I'm happy to hear - but when are they going to acknowledge my suffering. Why won't they give me a reason for denying my Petition of Mercy? I want to ask 'what is the Government hiding?'."
|
On October 31, 2005, the ABC's Australian Story broadcast the first
exclusive interview with Heather Osland since being released from prison
in July. To read the transcript, go here:
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2005/s1495369.htm
|
AUSTRALIAN STORY ABC TELEVISION
8pm MONDAY, OCTOBER 31 (Cup Eve)
The Walkley Award winning current affairs program will be featuring Heather Osland, this coming Monday night (repeated next Saturday at 12.30pm).
For more information, see 'Interview with the Activist', by Belinda Hawkins:
http://theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/interview-with-the-activist/2005/10/25/1130239525316.html
|
|
For 13 years Heather was a victim of an abusive husband. She saved
her life by acting in the only way left to her. She is now part of
a campaign to get justice for herself. In this process she and
other women will, hopefully, benefit. The Release Heather Osland
Group is
part of this campaign.
Heather's last hope, a petition for pardon, has been turned
down. This news has left few immediate options for Heather.
The Release Heather Osland Group will now turn its attention to law
reform in the hope that no other woman will suffer as Heather
has.
|
|
THE BIG ISSUE June 2004 edition No.204 examined the issue of domestic violence in Australia. In it, editor Martin Hughes dedicated
the edition to Heather Osland. Hughes wrote, "We were moved to compile this issue by the story of Heather Osland, a woman who
spent 13 years trapped in a torturous relationship, and another eight (and counting) incarcerated by the Victorian state for
colluding in the murder of her abusive husband.
"It's time that Heather Osland was released, and allowed to heal from the trauma of her experience, both at the hands of an
abusive husband and a system that has tragically failed her."
Also included in this special BIG ISSUE edition, was a piece by the Executive Director of the Victorian Women's Trust Mary
Crooks on Heather's story.
Click here to read Mary Crooks' article.
Download the article in Adobe PDF format here ((60kb)
Download the article in zipped Word format here ((5kb)
View the article in Word format here (26kb)
Read Dr Caroline Taylor's speech from the Heather Osland Fundraiser on April 20, 2004 here.
Download the speech in Adobe PDF format here (67kb)
Download the speech in zipped Word format here (9kb)
View the speech in Word format here (32kb)
(To download and save the file, right-click on the link and select "Save Target As...")
As part of her Melbourne University Public Affairs Internship with the Victorian Women's Trust, Karla Lampe completed a report tracking the Release Heather Osland Group titled
An Introductory Guide to Community Action Including a Review of the Release Heather Osland Group.
Download the report in Adobe PDF format here (400kb)
Download the report in zipped Word format here (192kb)
View the report in Word format here (332kb)
(To download and save the file, right-click on the link and select "Save Target As...")
Have a look at Joan
Kirner's press release.
A copy of the petition for pardon is now available
Executive Summary
(html)
Full document
(rtf)
For further information, email
us or contact us:
Melbourne and Regional Victoria residents
Release Heather Osland Group
c/o Victorian Women's Trust
1/388 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone (03) 9642 0422
Bendigo residents
EASE Domestic Violence Service
18 Forest Street
Bendigo
Phone 5443 4945
Heather was sentenced to 14 and a half years in prison. At
the same trial the jury were unable to reach a verdict for Heather's
son, David, who struck the blow which killed Frank Osland. At a
retrial David was acquitted of all charges and released. Look at
these and other Legal
Issues.
|
|
|
|
|
