When Deborah Benson started working on her first book after finishing a professional writing course, she didn’t expect to uncover the case of a wrongly convicted man.
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Ms Benson’s book, Judicial Murder, follows the case of David Young.
Young was an ex-convict believed to be responsible for murdering 17-year-old bride Margaret Graham in Daylesford in 1864.
He was found guilty and was the first man hanged at the Castlemaine Gaol.
But after two and a half years of research, Ms Benson believes she has uncovered collaboration, collusion and lies in old records and archives.
“When I first started I was simply interested in a local story of murder,” she said.
“But the more I became involved the more I thought this man is innocent.”
Ms Benson said police collaboration and collusion meant one detective constable was pressured into going along with the superintendent and chief inspector’s story.
She also found evidence that suggested a witness had lied after reading a newspaper that contained the full account of the crime.
“The chief and superintendent put pressure on (the constable) to go along with it and wrote on his police record they were disappointed that he didn’t work as a team,” Ms Benson said.
“There was also an executive council that met with Judge Redmond Barry about a reprieve.
“I have evidence like that which is quite obvious.”
Ms Benson said Young had also never made a statement about the case, had two of three trials deferred because of lack of evidence and was also not represented by legal counsel.
“The story wrote itself. once I started doing research, I found it was all there,” Ms Benson said.
“Thank goodness someone kept all the records, letters, depositions, police reports and inquests.
“I had all this wonderful information. All I had to do was collect it and put it in sequential order.”
Ms Benson, who is a kindergarten teacher and also runs Maldon’s Eaglehawk Hotel, has contacted the attorney-general Martin Pakula with the hope of getting David Young pardoned.
“I think it’s the only way it can go. If her was exonerated it would mean a new trial,” she said.
“I didn’t write this for me, I wrote it for him. I wanted his story told.”
Judicial Murder was launched on Friday at the Old Castlemaine Gaol at the same time and date when Young was hanged.
The book is available from Peppercorn Books in Maldon, the Old Castlemaine Gaol and Maldon’s Eaglehawk Motel. It costs $30.
For more information visit www.eaglehawkpress.com or email eaglehawkpress@gmail.com
