WA: Jury to decide MPs fate

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-1998
WA: Jury to decide MPs fate

PERTH, Dec 10 AAP - A Perth District Court jury was tonight deciding whether Labor MP John
Halden lied to the 1995 Marks royal commission into the Easton affair.

Judge Michael OSullivan sent the jury out to deliberate the evidence at 4.30pm AWST on the
fourth day of the trial.

The Western Australian MP has pleaded not guilty to the charge that he gave false evidence
to the 1995 Marks royal commission into the Easton affair.

Lawyer Penny Easton committed suicide days after Mr Halden tabled in state parliament a
petition containing false allegations by Mrs Eastons husband against her and the then WA
opposition leader, Richard Court.

Mr Halden denied that he lied when he told the royal commission he had not discussed the
petition with Premier Carmen Lawrence before the day it was presented to Parliament on
November 5, 1992.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, John McKechnie, QC, told the jury Mr Halden and Dr
Lawrence had discussed the petition six days earlier.

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KEYWORD: HALDEN JURY

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