A Christchurch psychiatrist who helped convict Peter Ellis has been discredited for her evidence in another sexual abuse case, which has seen a court of appeal order a retrial. Karen Zelas was found by appeal judges to have "gratuitously" exceeded the scope of permissible expert opinion. "It is, of course, essential for any expert witness to be entirely fair and objective and to avoid the fact or appearance of being an advocate for one side or the other. We regret to say we have reservations about aspects of Dr Zelas' evidence on this account," the judges said. The judges did not believe Dr Zelas did this on purpose, but that her cumulative statements added up to a miscarriage of justice.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 19th August 2003 - 12:00pm