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30 March 2007 / Jennifer James
Issue: 7266 / Categories: Blogs , Public
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Free at last

The untimely death of Sally Clark highlights the devastation caused by incorrect accusations, says the Insider

The Insider generally concentrates on the capricious things in life; sometimes, however, there is a serious news story that cannot be ignored. The death of Sally Clark a couple of weeks ago has struck a chord that will resonate for years to come. Sally was found dead at her home; the cause of death believed to have been natural causes, possibly accelerated by excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol dogged Sally. After her original trial for murder in November 1999 she was described as a lonely drunk who resented her babies and deliberately smothered them so that she could return to her former high-flying legal career. How the prosecutors could advance that theory with a straight face is beyond me, along with their promulgation of the now infamous ‘Meadow’s law’. This, basically, said that one cot death is a tragedy, two is suspicious and three is murder unless proven otherwise.

Against the odds

Cot death is a diagnosis made only

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A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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