WHILE I believe Malcolm Naden needs to be arrested and brought before the courts, I am starting to wonder how he will ever receive a fair trial if caught.
The NSW Police seems to have convicted Mr Naden of a whole host of crimes given the language its spokespeople use in the press. How do the police know Mr Naden has a stolen gun, or has broken into houses, or has shot at a police officer? These are crimes that he has not even been charged with, yet alone convicted of in a court of law.
The police know that a person is innocent until proven guilty in court, beyond reasonable doubt. Until that occurs, Mr Naden is presumed innocent.
I believe the language of the police and media is such that Mr Naden has been convicted before even being charged. The longer he goes without being arrested, I believe the more concrete the police and the public will become in their belief of his guilt.
This is a dangerous situation for justice and fair treatment in this state and raises the spectre of Mr Naden never being able to receive a fair trial in NSW. I believe more temperate language is needed.
Daryll Hadfield
Redhead