Networked Knowledge – Media Report

[This version of the report has been edited by Dr Robert N Moles
Underlining where it occurs is for editorial emphasis]

Dr Allan Cala homepage
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Article: USA law on miscarriages of justice

16 July 2007 Yahoo7 News “Doctor [Allan Cala] disciplined over murder case”.

The NSW Coroner has admitted extraordinary mistakes were made in the investigation of a murder staged to look like a car accident. A forensic pathologist has been disciplined over blunders that almost allowed the killer to walk free. Dr Allan Cala has worked on many high profile murder cases, including the deaths of Kathleen Folbigg, Peter Falconio and Janelle Patton. As a top forensic pathologist, his opinions went almost unquestioned until the case of Bill and Pam Weightman.

When the Weightmans' bodies were discovered in their car six years ago, Dr Cala initially found it was an accident. What he missed was that the Weightmans' son, David, had drugged them and smothered them, before rolling them down an embankment. State Opposition Leader Peter Debnam spoke about the case. "Unfortunately, no-one else but the family took it seriously from day one," Mr Debnam said. "Thankfully, they were persistent for a number of years."

After the accident, police had no reason to doubt Doctor Cala's findings, and the case was closed. But a year later it was reopened when investigators received information from some of David Weightman's aquaintances. A new pathology report was also conducted and came to new conclusions. David Weightman was convicted two years ago. Police now allege he had an accomplice.

In a letter to the state Opposition, Coroner John Abernethy wrote that Dr Cala 'frankly admitted what had happened'. "He came to see me personally and was very distressed," Mr Abernethy said. The Health Care Complaints Comission has disciplined the doctor, who has moved interstate [to South Australia] and was unavailable for comment today.

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