Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Panel needed in Bain compensation case - professor

Updated at 8:25 pm on 24 January 2013

A law professor says a panel may be needed to take another look into the David Bain compensation case.

Mr Bain was previously found guilty of the killings of his immediate family in 1995 but after 13 years in prison and a re-trial ordered by the Privy Council, he was found not guilty of the killings in 2009.

A report by a former Canadian Supreme Court judge, Ian Binnie, concluded Mr Bain was innocent but a review of that report criticised his findings as legally flawed.

Prime Minister John Key says a fresh review of the case is an option.

Otago University law professor Andrew Geddis, who has studied both reports, told Morning Report that finding someone in New Zealand who would be seen as impartial would be difficult.

Professor Geddis said Cabinet makes the rules over how compensation works and the bigger question is whether this issue should be left in the hands of politicians.

He said a panel of people could do any new review so it is not just one person's opinion being presented.

Listen to Andrew Geddis on Morning Report

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