Paul Verdon: Midnight Express-type case puts NZ legal system in poor light

Allan Titford – a miscarriage of justice?

Midnight Express was the memorable 1978 movie that told the true story of Billy Hayes, a young American man caught by Turkish police attempting to smuggle hashish out of Istanbul. He was tried and sent to prison for four years, where he experienced much privation and abuse. But as he finished his time, he was shocked to learn that the Turkish High Court had added a further 30 years to his sentence. Now thoroughly demoralised, Hayes’ life in prison grew increasingly unbearable, until he concluded that escape was his only option …

Remarkably, there are some bizarre comparisons to be found in the story of Billy Hayes 40 years ago and that of New Zealand’s own Allan Titford, who was incarcerated in 2013 for 24 years, arguably for his first convictions. The most obvious parallel from this reviewer’s perspective is that both men could be labelled ‘a political prisoner’ of a sort!

Tony Orman: Book review - another miscarriage of justice?

In recent decades the justice system has looked increasingly fragile with court cases such as of Arthur Allan Thomas and David Bain who were convicted then cleared of blame. 

Then there was the David Tamihere case where perjury abounded and the convicted was released after serving 20 years of a life imprisonment sentence. And there’s the oft-debate about whether convicted Scott Watson is guilty or not.

Justice is not always served.