Epping滅門案的一些發展

Wife of man charged with killing Lin family may testify

Paul Bibby
May 17, 2012

The wife of Robert Xie - the man accused of the 2009 Lin family killings - may be called as a witness for the prosecution in his upcoming committal hearing, a court has heard.

Mr Xie, 48, is accused of killing his brother-in-law Min "Norman" Lin, 45, Mr Lin's wife Yun Li "Lily" Lin, 43, their two sons, and the boys' aunt, Yun Bin "Irene" Yin, 39, in their home in Boundary Road, North Epping, in the early hours of July 18, 2009.

He was charged in May 2010 with five counts of murder in connection with the killings, which police believe were motivated by a deep hatred towards Mr and Mrs Lin who Mr Xie allegedly felt were being unfairly favoured within the family.

In Central Local Court today, the Crown prosecutor, Kara Shead, said she intended to call Mr Xie's wife, Kathy Lin, as one of 13 witness at his committal hearing, which determines whether or not the matter should proceed to trial.

Ms Lin is a crucial witness in the case as she shared a bed with Mr Xie on the night of the killings and found the bodies of her brother and his family the next morning.

However, Mr Xie's barrister, Graham Turnbull, SC, said that he opposed Ms Lin being called as a witness though he has yet to outline his objection.

The legal argument, before magistrate Julie Huber, over the application for Ms Lin to be called as a witness will take place on July 10.

Mr Xie's committal hearing will take place on August 20. 
(Sydney Morning Herald)

以前寫過The Epping Murder 這宗兇殘的謀殺案，上個月被告申請保釋候審，控方反對保釋時傳召了案件主管作供，透露了一些控方證據，從報導看證據頗弱，隨時不足以建立表面證供(prima facie evidence)，若真如此，被告在交付審判程序(committal proceedings)時會要求進行初級偵訊(prelimemary inquiry)，未上高院審訊，先挑戰控方證供，表面證供不成立的話，案件有可能在那階段便完結，無需答辯(no case to answer)，無罪釋放。只可講「有可能」，因為就算被告在裁判法院初級偵訊階段脫罪，控方也可以向高院法官申請，用自動刑事起訴書(voluntary bill)的方式，把案件直接 轉介高院審訊。聽取滅門案擔保申請的法官Justice Price，在拒絕擔保之餘，也講了"The applicant may have a reasonable prospect of being found not guilty." 證供之弱，可見一斑。

上面的新聞是幾天前的報導，控方有可能傳召被告的老婆作供。這涉及配偶的特權(spousal privilege)的問題。在香港或英國，除了很少的控罪外，配偶不能被傳召來指證對方，那是所謂有資格或可予强迫(competent or compellable)作供的問題。去年11月，澳洲聯邦高等法院(相等於香港終審法院)在Australian Crime Commission v Stoddart [2011]HCA 47(30 November 2011)一案，裁定普通法裏根本沒有配偶特權這樣東西。我真的看傻了眼，這裁決和我以前在香港所學的概念完全不同。當然我不清楚澳洲有沒有像香港證據條例(Cap 8)第6條及刑事訴訟程序條例(Cap 221)第57條那類法律條文(statue)，清楚訂明配偶的特權。

在Epping Murder案控方傳召被告的老婆，大概是依賴Stoddart案的裁決作為理據，控辯雙方在7月10日的法律爭議(legal argument)將會是正審的前哨戰，不論結果如何，隨時發展成未正審先上訴。欲知後事如何，請聽下回分解。


註釋：

Australian Crime Commission v Stoddart [2011]HCA 47(30 November 2011)

Stoddart涉嫌稅務欺詐，Australian Crime Commission傳召Stoddart的老婆Louie Stoddart作供，Louie Stoddart以配偶特權為理由拒絕回答問題，並向聯邦法院申請禁制令(injunction)拒絕繼續作供。當初提出的爭論點是Australian Crime Commission的法律條文不容許證人拒絕回答自行入罪的問題(self incriminating questions)，是否引申至配偶特權也要放棄，殊不知聯邦高等法院竟然裁定在普通法(common law)中，並沒有配偶特權。