Bradley Murdoch, jailed for killing Peter Falconio, appeals conviction

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/17/bradley-murdoch-appeals-murder-conviction

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Bradley Murdoch, the murderer of British backpacker Peter Falconio, is appealing against his conviction, accusing the crown prosecutor at his original trial of misconduct.

In 2005, Murdoch was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum period of 28 years.

The body of Falconio, believed murdered in 2001, has never been found, and Murdoch has maintained his innocence.

Falconio's girlfriend, Joanne Lees, escaped Murdoch by running into bushland.

On Tuesday, Murdoch filed an application for leave to appeal in the Northern Territory criminal court of appeal.

"This is an allegation that the crown prosecutor at the original trial, Rex Wild QC, improperly groomed the star crown witness Joanne Lees in how to give her evidence," Murdoch's barrister Peter Faris QC said in a statement.

"This allegation brings into question the entirety of Lees' evidence."

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