Heart of Stone My Quest for Justice for Azaria

by Chamberlain, Michael

• ISBN13: 9781742572895
• ISBN10: 1742572898
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-08-01
• Publisher: New Holland Publishers

Summary

After 30 years of silence, and on the eve of the verdict of a Fourth Inquest, Michael Chamberlain writes his own account of the death of his baby daughter Azaria Chamberlain in a heart-wrenching and compelling book. Never before has Michael Chamberlain spoken about this tragic event and the release comprises a number of picture sections with exclusive unreleased family images. The story of the Chamberlains has been the one subject that has divided many a dinner party throughout Australia and the world. They were a young family who loved the outdoors. When they took their two young children and baby to Ayers Rock they never knew their lives would be forever changed. Tragedy struck when a dingo forced its way into the tent and dragged their daughter Azaria to its lair. ''That dingo''s got my baby!''. That ''cry in the dark'' on 17 August, 1980 of her mother Lindy Chamberlain remains imprinted in the world''s mind. In Heart of Stone Michael takes the reader back to the place where it all began - Ayers Rock (before it was also named Uluru) . In a detailed, methodical and emotional account he writes of all tragic moment when Lindy heard the ''cry in the dark'' and the discovery of the empty baby''s bed. Michael describes that long night - with Aboriginal trackers springing to their aid to search, and the head ranger who had agonized for three months previous about the troublesome dingoes in the camping areas. He describes in detail the heartache of the first inquest at Ayers Rock - the first to be broadcast live - which declared that the dingo had taken the baby, and then the turnaround, when he and his wife were charged with suspected murder. Michael describes his life in the painful and horrendous lead up to the arrest and persecution of his wife Lindy and her wrongful imprisonment for the murder of her own child in the ''trial of the century''. He takes the reader through their ordeal of the following inquests, the tragic breakup of their marriage. When an English tourist fell off the rock the search led to the discovery of the ''matinee jacket'' in a dingo lair. The news led to Lindy''s release ''on compassionate grounds'' and yet another inquiry. All of these events are described, as Michael lived in the unrelenting glare of the media, whose opinion and fostering of rumours added to the impression of the public of Michael and his family. There were unfounded rumours, for example, that Azaria meant ''sacrifice in the desert'' when it actually means ''blessed''. Questions over Michael''s reluctance to cry in public, or his reserved nature were taken to mean he was hiding the truth. Michael''s own determination for justice has led to a fourth inquest in the Northern Territory of Australian into the death of Azaria. "This book is about getting justice for a family, full circle. It is about the impossible mission driven this time by me, against all odds; to open the fourth inquest and the truth, backed by the law, declaring that a dingo killed Azaria." While Lindy has published her own book, with a TV mini series based on that, John Bryson has written Evil Angels and Meryl Streep starred in Cry in the Dark, this book is a missing link in the story of Azaria, written in his own hand by her father. THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS Azaria Chantelle Loren Chamberlain born, Mount Isa Public Hospital : 11 June 1980 Taken by a dingo at Ayers Rock: 17 August, 1980 First inquiry into the death: Dec-Feb 1980/81 Raid at Cooranbong home by NT police: 19 September 1981 Second inquiry: Dec-Feb 1981/82 Trial of Lindy Chamberlain commences: 13 September 1982 Lindy sentenced to life imprisonment: 19 October 1982 Daughter Kahlia born in prison: 17 November 1982 Lindy released on bail: 19 November 1982 Appeal (Lindy back to gaol): 30 April 1983 High Court Appeal: 22 February 1984 Matinee jacket found at Ayers Rock: 4 February 1986 Lindy released from prison: 7 February 1986 Report to Brian Martin for Royal Commission: 11 February 1985 Royal Commission ordered: April 1986 Royal commission: March-May 1986 Finding delivered : 2 June 1987 but cause of death left open Court of Appeal: 15 September 1988 Compensation for wrongful imprisonment: 1991 3rd inquest: 16 December 1995 delivers an ''open finding'' 4th inquest: Northern Territory: commences 24 February 2012

Author Biography

Michael Chamberlain's book may disturb you and shock you. But if will leave you in no doubt about the truth.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 13
The First Wave: The Trial of The Century	p. 17
Annus Horribilis	p. 19
A Cry in the Dark	p. 29
The Fifth Column	p. 41
First Inquest, First Shocks	p. 52
Into A Darker Valley	p. 65
The Second Inquest: Trial By Ambush	p. 83
The Trial of The Century	p. 96
Collateral Damage	p. 105
Guilty As Charged?	p. 123
The Second Wave: Towards A Royal Commission	p. 133
Unto Us Another Daughter is Given	p. 134
The End of the Line?	p. 149
One Last Chance?	p. 157
The High Court Decides	p. 169
The Reconnaissance Mission	p. 189
Parliamentary 'Privilege' And the Case for an Inquiry	p. 212
Darwin Under Siege	p. 225
An Ayers Rock Shock	p. 239
The Third Wave: The Royal Commission	p. 247
The Homecoming	p. 248
The Fight for a Royal Commission	p. 254
The Media Circus Pays Us to Get It Right	p. 261
The Royal Commission Opens: The Aboriginals' Day in Court	p. 281
Forensic Evidence Feels the Dingo's Breath	p. 293
The Morling Royal Commission Report	p. 307
Exoneration	p. 324
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly	p. 329
The Fourth Wave: Confession Time	p. 351
Evil Angels: the Film	p. 352
The Third Inquest Whitewash	p. 367
An Opera and TV Miniseries	p. 384
More Dingo Attacks on Children	p. 390
The Fraser Island Disaster	p. 396
My Fight for a Fourth Inquest	p. 404
Justice for Azaria	p. 418
Timeline of Main Events	p. 425
Court Trial Transcripts	p. 427
Glossary of Main People and Terms	p. 429
About the Author	p. 439
Index	p. 441
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