Скачать или смотреть USA: LAWYERS FOR LOUISE WOODWARD ASK JUDGE TO ALTER VERDICT (6)

(5 Nov 1997) English/Nat

The judge in the Louise Woodward murder trial says he will make his ruling on the au pair's appeal through a site on the internet.

Judge Hiller Zobel is now considering the submissions from the legal teams in the case, after being asked to overturn last week's conviction.

Woodward's supporters in the U-S and Britain say they will keep up their campaign until the teenager is released.

After last week's conviction of the British au-pair, the defence on Tuesday appealed to the judge to overturn the verdict, order a re-trial or reduce the charge.

Many legal observers believe Judge Hiller Zobel is most likely to change Woodward's conviction from second degree murder to manslaughter - maintaining the 19-year-old's responsibility for the death of baby Matthew Eappen.

A manslaughter verdict could mean a sentence of up to 20 years - but it would give discretion to the judge on the sentence imposed.

The second-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of
life with possibility of parole only after 15 years.

But Louise Woodward's lawyers told the judge that evidence produced only late into the trial by the prosecution would have cast doubt on the au pair's guilt.

They say the pictures of Matthew Eappen's skull could have made jurors doubt the youngster's fatal injury occurred when the prosecution allege.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"In addition, your honour, I go back again to this skull fracture issue. There's no way around them saying "this isn't outcome determinative" it is. And how we could have used this picture. And you know they say Dr Leetsma has credibility problems and maybe people won't understand it. Well this photograph in addition to all the other witnesses we could use, could help. I leave it to your conscience."
SUPER CAPTION: Barry Scheck, Defence attorney

For the parents of Louise Woodward - who has begun a fifteen year prison sentence - it was another agonising day in court.

But they have spoken of the strength they've received from the thousands of supporters both in the United States and Britain who've been campaigning against the sentence.

Some members of the Louise Woodward Campaign for Justice joined an emotional demonstration outside the courthouse - led by a family friend of the Woodward's cheering "justice for Louise".

Others follow developments in the case on the World Wide Web.

And Judge Hiller Zobel has - controversially - said he will post his eventual ruling on the Internet.

In Louise Woodward's home town of Elton, in northern England, supporters vowed to keep campaigning - no matter how long it takes the U-S courts to decide her fate.

Some 100 people marched in a show of solidarity before the Massachusetts court convened.

Children were let out of class at the elementary school where Woodward was a pupil.

Her friends have rallied round and say they won't rest until Louise Woodward is home.

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