The The death penalty or capital punishment has been abolished in Australia for many years now.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've looked back at two cases,

Gene Lee and Ronald Ryan, who were the last female and last male to be executed in Australia and the controversy

over their convictions that still remains today.

Tonight I'll read out the open letter from Ryan's Barrister Dr Philip Opus QC.

Hi I'm your host Campbell, grab a beer and pull up a deck chair. This is True Crime Island, another true crime podcast. Okay, so in part one I talked about the last woman to hang, Gene Lee, and in part two about the last man and last person

to be executed in Australia, Ronald Ryan.

This week I'll read out the open letter that Ryan's QC wrote. So I'll get straight into it and let him tell the story.

It's titled The Innocence of Ronald Ryan by Dr Philip Opus QC

September 10 2002.

My attention has been drawn to an article on Ronald Ryan.

I vehemently disagree with the assertion in the article that Ronald Ryan was guilty. I've written a response, the innocence of Ronald Ryan, which has

been published in the Criminal Bar Association of Victoria newsletter spring 2002. I believe I am in a better position than anyone else

to discuss the Ronald Ryan case as most of those involved are now deceased. I seek to make a last plea for someone

who did not deserve to die. Please allow me one last attempt to put the record straight.

Make it available for anyone who might want to do research into the Ronald Ryan case

or research into capital punishment. I will go to my grave

firmly of the opinion that Ronald Ryan did not commit murder. I refuse to believe that at any time he told anyone that he did.

When all hope of a reprieve had gone and he had decided that he might as well declare his guilt if that was the fact

there are two people whom I believe he would have told and they were Father

Broznan and me. Father Broznan and me.

Father Broznan and I have formed a lifelong friendship since the hanging, and Father

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