Editorial: Inquest into the death of Jeffrey Brooks brings hope in Dead Wrong case

LISTEN to the Dead Wrong podcast. Like the many thousands of others who have listened to it already, we’re sure you’ll become as convinced as we are that this is one true crime case that deserves further attention from authorities.

CONSPIRACY theories and the rash of cases which have been the subject of high-profile “true crime” productions over recent times seem to go hand-in-hand.

For example, there’s been new “evidence” aired about US President John F. Kennedy’s assassination as well as the killing of his brother Bobby five years later. The Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer has been a global phenomenon and convinced legions of watchers that its little-known subject, Steven Avery, is innocent.

Locally, it appears inevitable that the disappearance of Australian prime minister Harold Holt in 1967 at a Victorian surf beach, supposedly at the hands of the Chinese via a submarine, will be the subject of similar analysis.

People may apply plenty of their standard cynicism and scepticism to these claims but they also make for damn good entertainment nonetheless.

However, the case of Jeffrey Brooks, who was the subject of The Courier-Mail’s Dead Wrong podcast series, was always different.

Firstly, there was the compelling circumstantial evidence that it seems was summarily dismissed by authorities.

In the months before his shooting death at Beenleigh crayfish farm in 1996, the young scientist was convinced he was going to be murdered at his workplace and the killing made to look like an accident. Brooks told his best friend and a former boss of his fears, and his brother lent him a gun for protection.

His death by shotgun pellets to the chest was eerily similar to what he had predicted, yet police quickly ruled out foul play and insisted his death was an accident. Then there is the hard evidence obtained by The Courier-Mail through expert ballistic testing which shows Brooks could not have been holding the gun when it fired.

The test by a respected firm that works with the Australian Defence Force as well as military clients concluded that the distance between the muzzle and the 24-year-old’s chest must have been more than 1m. And a re-enactment using a similar vehicle and firearm could not replicate the downward angle of the shot proposed in the police theory due to the extremely low roof of the vehicle, cramped interior and Brooks’ 188cm frame.

This and other extraordinary evidence compiled in Dead Wrong by The Courier-Mail’s award-winning journalists Kate Kyriacou and Peter Hall has now prompted authorities to take a fresh look at this case.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath has requested that the Coroner reopen the inquest into Brooks’ death.

In a letter to lawyers representing his parents, Ms D’Ath acknowledges that the case deserves further attention. “Having considered the information and new evidence which you have brought to my attention, I am satisfied that it is in the public interest to reopen the inquest into the death of Mr Brooks,” she wrote.

This decision has been welcomed by the Brooks family who never believed the claims that he killed himself.

They have fought doggedly over the 22 years since his death for fresh eyes to review the evidence.

Ms D’Ath’s decision demonstrates the weight of the new evidence given her office would receive dozens of requests each year for fresh inquests by people loaded with all manner of claims and conspiracy theories. Whatever comes of these new inquiries, this case demonstrates the indispensable value of quality reporting and the positive influence it can have within our society.

Listen to the Dead Wrong podcast.

Like the many thousands of others who have listened to it already, we’re sure you’ll become as convinced as we are that this is one true crime case that deserves further attention from authorities.

No escaping paw and order

New Brisbane Bullets player Lamar Patterson. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

TO declare or not declare? It is a question may of us have guiltily grappled with when returning to Australia from an international destination. Do you run the gauntlet by not admitting to items that might offend Australia’s customs and biosecurity rules?

Or do you risk huge queues only to be told the declared item isn’t an issue?

The story of Brisbane Bullets recruit Lamar Patterson arriving in Australia with his pet french bulldog Kobe in his carry-on luggage is an extraordinary example of this ethical dilemma.

There’s certainly an amusing and pun-friendly element to Patterson’s predicament. There’s also the parallels with those other two infamous canine imports, Pistol and Boo, which belonged to Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.

However, there’s also a serious side to this story and questions that need answering. Australia invests significant sums in vigorously protecting its borders and enforcing quarantine restrictions.

That’s because we are blessedly free from many of the diseases and pests that plague other countries and want to remain that way. So how did someone get a dog, albeit a rather small one, on board a plane bound for Australia?

How can anyone, let alone a professional basketballer who has travelled the world plying his craft, not be aware that a dog might need to be declared? Patterson is pleading ignorance, saying yesterday that he “wasn’t aware of the rules here or the regulations”. And the Bullets’ management are shouldering some of the blame by insisting they did not fully brief their import on Australia’s quarantine requirements.

However, none of that explains how the animal was transferred from a domestic flight in the US to an international Qantas flight and why no one apparently was aware he was on the plane. In all of this, however, it is hard not to feel sorry for the poor pooch. Little Kobe has certainly had a ruff time.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Sam Weir, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at www.couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us