Advice needed - serious matter, OT

[candor]

A lawyer (if out there) might be good to advise on this. Or anyone. What would you do or advise in this situation. A family member is killed due to a Government Dept / Employees error. Say Police for instance.

You wait 2 years for the coroners court and have employed a lawyer to quiz the culprits so it won't happen again to another innocent person. Your lawyer sends several letters to Coroner as do you and gets no response.

Finally Coroner replies saying Police did not tell them it was wrapped up from their side. You well know why - cos Police told you they don't want an inquest. Thats because they played a part in the innocent persons death.

All your letters and the lawyers ones to Coroner have explained exactly how Police and another party (not dealt with by Courts) materially helped cause the death. You are in process of suing the other party but can't sue Police as they are apparently immune.

Your interest is to get the truth told so your relations death is not under a cloud of lies, and so the Police and the other party will think twice and change their ways.

A coroners inquest is meant to be held if relatives ask for it and if its in the public interest to have one. Tick. Tick. Our lawyer had said they have to give us one - no question in the circumstances.

But today a letter comes from Coroner saying you can not have an inquest.
Because the cause of death is in the postmortem - injuries - no mystery.
But he reckons he'll ask a few questions around the place in light of our concerns. WTF. This is BS. A fob off. You either have an inquest IN COURT or you don't. There are no half measures. It is our right to question people.

How dumb - and corrupt is that. We know the relative is dead because the body was assaulted. The issue is how that came to happen and who is responsible.

After 2 years I am at end of tether with this cover up. The whole family is beside themselves and says there can be no end to grief with this coverup. We realise that even if an inquest is held lies can be told. But feel like both our deceased relatives' and our human rights are being denied.

Anyway I feel sick. No headstone can go up as everyone says she can't rest in peace. Am considering something pretty out there as a means to get the inquest. Any ideas, as I don't think the lawyer will get anywhere now. As I'm sure the coverup has been sanctioned by people higher than the coroner.

If anyone has media connections that could expose this situation that would be helpful. Thanks if you can offer any advice - any ideas appreciated.

[slowpoke]

Go to the media.
They love sensationalising shit so if there is the slightest sniff of something that'll sell newspapers or airtime they'll be all over it like green on grass. Just remember they are in the business of selling the aforementioned papers/airtime and that doesn't always correspond to telling the truth.

[Hillbilly]

What are you on about??? This is all waffle!! If you have something to complain about do it in plain english! Innuendos and hints are boring! "Government Departments", who?? WINZ? CYPS??

It's a tragedy that someone in your family has died, but this is not South America. If you want to ask a quesion or ask for advice, ask. Put it in plain English.

I'm sure the coverup has been sanctioned by people higher than the coroner.

Sorry, but that's just rhetoric, and a cliche. Just because you didn't get what you wanted, at's all a conspiracy.

It is our right to question people.

Actually, it isn't. That's the job of the Police, the Courts and the Judicial System. BTW, the media will turn whatever happened to your family member into a feeding frenzy. They couldn't give a stuff about you, or your family, or who gets hurt as long as they get a good story, and TV ratings.

It's been two years, and you're not going to get the answers you're looking for. Unless you have a really solid case, as in undisputed proof with solid evidence that your relative died from a direct result of neglect, or Police brutality etc, you'll still be where you are now in ten years time.

No headstone can go up as everyone says she can't rest in peace.

I don't wish to appear callous, but who is "everyone?" I've buried many family members including my parents. One of my cousins was shot 20 times at point blank range by the Police. My mother's last years were spent in terrible pain and suffering because of the mistake of a GP. It's time to move on, and concentrate on all the good things of that person's life rather that focus soley on the one tragic event that ended it.

If you still wish to persue the matter, get rid of your Lawyer and hire a Private Investigator or a better Barristor.

[Lou Girardin]

What are you on about??? This is all waffle!! If you have something to complain about do it in plain english! Innuendos and hints are boring! "Government Departments", who?? WINZ? CYPS??

.

Heard of defamation laws?

Candor, go to your MP. (if it's other than Labour)
Go to the media, preferably TV3 and Sunday Star-Times.
But make absolutely sure of your facts first.

[Skyryder]

Heard of defamation laws?

Candor, go to your MP. (if it's other than Labour)
Go to the media, preferably TV3 and Sunday Star-Times.
But make absolutely sure of your facts first.

If you want to make this into a media issue do not do this yourself. Go to a media consultant. They will sift through the facts, advise on what are the relevent issues, drip feed enough to the press etc then wait for responses and then let more information out.

This course will not neccessarly solve you dilemma.

Personally I'd go get a good solicitor run your problem through to them and see what they have to say. If state emplyees are involved a trip to the Ombudsmen might be worth a try. Did that myself a few years back. Shit did everyone want to please. No more playing dodgem's from civil servants after that.

Whatever you do prepare your information so that the other party can clearly understand your complaint. Most important.

Skyryder

[Hitcher]

If anyone has media connections that could expose this situation that would be helpful. Thanks if you can offer any advice - any ideas appreciated.

Yawn. I hate coded conspiracy theories.

Ring the chief reporter of your daily newspaper and see if they're interested in following this through for you. I doubt that even the "might of the media" is going to get any answers that you haven't been able to.

Write to your Member of Parliament. They have a bit more influence and, if they think it warrants action, will chase things along.

And get your deceased family member a headstone. They deserve to rest in peace, even if their living relatives can't. What may be happening here isn't their fault.

[candor]

Thanks for all the viewpoints.
Sorry to hear about your cousin and Mum Hillbilly.

We have got a solid case BTW, just details lacking that an inquest could clarify. Reason I didn't give a fullrun down is its tediously detailed and rather complicated. Plus the defamation stuff etc. As it turned out our lawyer said if you're refused an inquest next step is high court appeal - very expensive. Or complain to solicitor general before Ombudsman!

But... got hold of Coroner today who after I explained everything while trying to keep a cool head and let him know it won't be dropped - am prepared to sell house to pay legal fees etc - he said he will review it and get in more info that I pointed him in direction of. As he had only seen Police files.

He pled ignorance to knowing the concerning stuff I told him - even tho we'd explained it all in many letters! He was not happy at all with being accused of trying to cover certain govt workers backs and a bit alarmed at the prospect of media - and immediately told me as a Coroner he is a Judge and required to be impartial. Thats the ideal I guess so heres hoping.

So there seems to be a backtrack, he's reconsidering and we'll likely get the inquest that is warranted - not just my opinion that its well waranted either.

I dunno why everyone is on about conspiracy theories. People and agencies do cover up and do dirties - its not conspiracy but reality. I have worked in govt places where suchlike happens. Patient bashings at some mental hospitals when I was staff (not too irregular) for example. But do you think anyone saw anything? A conspiracy of silence / covering up / lies put in daily patient notes about how patients hurt themselves.

It was very real but I guess the patients would be called fantasists huh? Isnt there a happy medium between a Mary Poppins and conspiracy theorist? Shit happens.

[u4ea]

stick to your guns.If you feel compelled enough to sell your house then it must be pretty serious.
At one time i contacted the ombudsan and got action!!!!so have faith in that process..
you "ve obviously got the coroner backpeddling so do what you have to do...
then you and your family can right this injustice and your deceased relative rest in peice..
its not over till its over.........

[Biff]

It is our right to question people.

Actually, it isn't.

Actually it is. It wouldn't be if you lived in Iran though. Or North Korea. Or China. Etc.

Nobody should be beyond reproach in any civilised and transparent democracy.

(fuck me. i came over all politimacal then)

[Hillbilly]

Thanks for all the viewpoints.
Sorry to hear about your cousin and Mum Hillbilly.

Thanks, sorry if I was bit harsh. I guess everything that's happened to me has mad me somewhat bitter. Anyway, what you and you family are going through isn't right, especially as now we've got a clearer picture of what's been happenning.

- am prepared to sell house to pay legal fees etc -

You should only ever consider that option as the very last resort. See if the family will chip in to help with the costs. Good luck.

[Winston001]

Coroners only hold public inquests when there are questions surrounding the death of a person. The questions can be about the actual cause of death which isn't medically clear, or the events which lead to the death. If the circumstances of the death are uncertain, the Coroner may convene a hearing to bring evidence. The purpose is to identify why a person died and to learn how this can be avoided in future.

What a Coroner does not do is apportion criminal or civil blame. Essentially a Coronial inquest is a fact-finding mission and is unique in our Court system. It is more akin to the European inqusitorial process where magistrates investigate cases rather than just sitting there waiting for the evidence.

Most deaths aren't dealt with by Coroners. Sudden, unexpected or unexplained deaths are. Of these, again most are dealt with on the papers because the facts become clear enough. There is no need for a public hearing.

That leaves a tiny number each year which are publicly heard.

It seems to me that you are looking for someone to blame and you have your reasons. You have referred to a civil suit so matters are already underway. I agree that it seems odd the Coroner ignored your family's concerns if you had a solicitor writing to him. But if you expect the Coroner is going to produce a magic bullet blaming the Police or someone else, you are likely to be disappointed.

You are correct that you need to go to the High Court to have the Coroners finding challenged. Frankly you'd be better going to the media.

May I just suggest that you avoid this becoming an obsession. It will ruin your life and those around you. Hard I know, but sometimes life simply isn't fair and we just have to live for the future.