-----Original Message----- From: Raymond Hoser <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: AA Media Release For Immediate Publication <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sunday, 27 May 2001 10:00 Subject: Corruption author to be jailed - see below: >ROB HULLS IS NOW TRYING TO JAIL LEADING CORRUPTION AUTHOR >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MAY 27 2001 >PLEASE CONTACT ALL YOUR LOCAL MEDIA AND ENSURE THAT THIS IS WIDELY >REPORTED -THANKS >In an Australian first and in a step reminiscent of Stalinist Russia, >Victoria's Attorney General Rob Hulls has instructed his government to >initiate proceedings against Australia's leading corruption author >Raymond Hoser with a view to having him imprisoned. >Hulls has just issued writs against Hoser and his publishing company >Kotabi over their 2 year-old books Victoria Police Corruption 1 and 2, >(which between them total 1,536 pages). >These books were best-sellers before Hulls ordered them off the >bookshelves last year in all Australian states (a year after >publication). >Now two years after publication and with total sales over 10,000 copies, >Hulls has again instructed his lawyers to sue Hoser and his publisher >for "contempt". >The charge of "contempt" alleges that Hoser and publisher have >"scandalized" the Victorian courts. >The same allegation was pursued unsuccessfully against Hoser in a >related defamation action in April 2001, when Justice Bill Gillard ruled >the application as improper and awarded costs in Hoser's favor. >Several months later, Hoser signed off on an agreement not to pursue >these costs on the basis that all actions against him would be dropped. >Now, six months later, Hulls has broken the agreement and initiated >fresh legal action against Hoser and his publisher. >If the case is successful, Hoser will once again be jailed for doing >nothing more than telling the truth. >The same thing happened to Hoser in 1997 when he was improperly >convicted of perjury. >In relation to that matter, the main prosecution witness John Connell >later admitted that he'd deliberately lied to have Hoser jailed. >Hoser has yet to receive compensation for the four months he spent >behind bars. >The new Hulls writ cites various statements in Hoser's books about >Magistrates and judges as potentially scandalizing the courts. >Hoser notes that the statements referred to have long been on the public >record, and in the main are derived from the government's own official >transcripts. >Furthermore, late last year the Hulls side conceded that the relevant >sections of the books (as cited in this latest writ) were totally true >and correct. >Hoser's lawyer Alex Tees also notes that an important part of the >British legal system is that the courts should be open to public >scrutiny and comment. >This same view was upheld in an unsuccessful contempt action against >Trevor Torney (known as Torney ex parte) in the High Court last year and >other similar cases. >However in a compete repudiation of the Westminster tradition, Hulls is >now seeking to gag all public debate in relation to the courts. >This latest attempt at censorship comes in the immediate wake of the >resignation of Hulls' personal friend and colleague, County Court Judge >Robert Kent, who was recently convicted of tax charges. >Hoser notes that the delays on Hulls' part in terminating Kent's >employment by the court, "scandalized" the court far more than all that >appears in Hoser's books. (Kent ended up resigning on 24 May following a >series of newspaper editorials calling on him to do so). >Perhaps Hulls himself should be charged with scandalizing the court. >The first round in the battle is at the Melbourne Supreme Court this >Wednesday (30 May 2001), when Hulls' taxpayer funded legal team will be >applying to the court to have Hoser fined and jailed and to effectively >close-down Kotabi Publishing, who up until now have been regarded as one >of Australia's leading independent publishers. >Hoser and his publisher note that this latest case is yet another >attempt to unlawfully ban a pair of important corruption books - all the >more significant as large chunks of information from within the books >have since been re-reported in the mainstream papers as well as other >books including Underbelly 4 by Silvester and Rule and No Justice by >Bowles. >The irony is that here in Victoria, Bank Robbers and drug pushers are >allowed to roam free, while the government is plying it's vast resources >into having a man jailed for doing nothing more than documenting the >truth. >All media are urged to attend and report on this important free speech >case next Wednesday. >Copies of the writs (as issued) will be posted at: >http://www.smuggled.com/VGS2.htm >by end of today's date. >Further inquiries: please phone: >Kotabi Publishing: 03 9857-4491 >Kotabi's lawyers: >Duker and Associates, >Alex Tees: >Mobile: 0409-813-622 >Raymond Hoser: >0412-777211 >For details of the earlier actions by Rob Hulls and the Victorian >Government Solicitor (and relevant documents) go to: >http://www.smuggled.com/MedRel48.htm >This release is published at: >http://www.smuggled.com/VGS1.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This is the Neither public email list, open for the public and general discussion. 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