Ailing killer Neddy Smith's plea: Let me die at home

ONE of NSW's most notorious killers Neddy Smith is set to launch a last-ditch bid for release.

ONE of the state's most notorious killers is set to launch a last-ditch bid for release, claiming evidence exists that he simply could not have murdered one of his two victims.

rthur Stanley "Neddy" Smith, serving two life sentences for murder, has revealed from his cell at Long Bay prison that he wants "injustices" reversed so he can die at home.

"I'm not guilty, my health is not good, and I've done my time - 23 years is enough," he said through his legal team yesterday.

Smith suffers from Parkinson's disease and has instructed his lawyers to find the specific evidence he claims exists to prove he could not have murdered Harvey Jones in 1983.

That evidence, the specifics of which are known to his lawyers, has never been formally produced by authorities.

Jones' body was not found for 12 years after he was last seen at an Alexandria pub. Smith was convicted by a jury in 1998 of shooting Jones dead.

He was already serving a life sentence for the road-rage killing of Ronnie Flavell, but had a date for parole after 25 years. He has always maintained his innocence of killing Jones, despite a confession to a prison informer.

When called for sentencing before Justice Carolyn Simpson he refused to come up from the cells and would not instruct his barrister Winston Terracini SC on sentence.

As a result, Justice Simpson found the killing was premeditated, pre-planned and that he had killed for financial gain and protection of his extensive criminal empire. He was given a life sentence with no non-parole period, as Justice Simpson found the killing was in the worst category of murder offences.

On the basis of the possible new evidence, along with other grounds including his continuing poor heath, Smith has instructed Mr Terracini and solicitor Benjamin Archbold to prepare a challenge to conviction and sentence.

Mr Archbold said details of the application would remain secret.

Mr Smith is serving a life sentence for a crime he maintains he did not commit, so every avenue which can be pursued will be," Mr Archbold said.