A mother acquitted of the attempted murder of her severely disabled adult daughter has been left with a legal aid bill of more than $220,000, in what her lawyer calls a “tragic and traumatic” case.
The woman, who has permanent name suppression but has been called ‘Debbie’ in previous Stuff reporting, was found not guilty of attempted murder by a jury in July, 2024.
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She was also acquitted of a charge of inciting suicide, relating to an allegation she tried to convince her husband to take his life.
The Crown had alleged that, in February of 2023, devastated at the sudden death of an adult son, Debbie took an overdose of medication and also fed pills to her daughter, whom Stuff is calling Sarah, a severely disabled woman with the mental age of a small child.
Debbie accepted she took medication in an attempt to end her life, but denied doing anything to Sarah.
Debbie was in a coma for three days after the incident, but Sarah never lost consciousness and there was no conclusive evidence that she’d been given medication that could kill her.
Debbie received Legal Aid, government-funded financial assistance for those who can’t afford a lawyer. All or part of the amount may have to be repaid depending on the person’s financial situation.
In June last year, the Legal Services Commissioner wrote to Debbie advising it had paid $375,686 to her trial lawyer, Arthur Fairley, and that the remaining amount she owed stood at $222,664.
Stuff
Lumping someone with a $222000 Legal Aid bill for a prosecution that should never have happened in the first place is a crippling miscarriage of justice.
The terrible predicament people are being placed in is to plead guilty to avoid a life of debt.
How on earth is that justice?
We should all be ashamed that this is the system ‘working’.
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Maybe she can pay them back 2$ a week as legal aide is a joke so is the justice system,as too many NZers can’t afford a decent lawyer making the justice system inequitabke.
This is an outrage. Debbie should not pay the money.
She should be given legal aid to enable her to sue the police for wrongful prosecution
Maybe she can pay them back 2$ a week as legal aide is a joke so is the justice system,as too many NZers can’t afford a decent lawyer making the justice system inequitabke.