‘Not Mercy, Justice’ (Press, 18 March 1967)

In a recent trial, Mr K. Ryan delivered his final address regarding the case of Davis, who is accused of murdering Sister Petley. Ryan emphasised that Davis was not seeking mercy but merely justice. He requested the jury to consider evidence presented by Sister Petley’s foster sister, Mrs Taylor, highlighting that while the defence did not portray Sister Petley as a monstrous figure, she had hidden aspects of her character that Mrs Taylor was unaware of. Specifically, Ryan pointed out that although Petley did not take medications in her daily life, she had a substantial number of drugs in her possession. Ryan touched upon the circumstances surrounding Davis's assignment to Wigram, which occurred around October 26, indicating that she was unhappy about the posting. He suggested that her emotional state could have stemmed from a personal situation—Davis had a young son in Christchurch who was living with her sister, and the boy's father was at Burnham Military Camp. Ryan argued that the stress from her situation might have contributed to Davis's mental state during the months leading up to the alleged murder. Furthermore, Ryan scrutinised the reliability of the Crown's evidence, particularly that of Sister Phipps. He noted that during cross-examination, Phipps claimed not to remember critical events on numerous occasions. Ryan questioned her credibility, emphasizing contradictions between her testimony and that of her escort, Gillingham, regarding the sounds heard from Sister Petley’s room. This discrepancy suggested reasonable doubt about the events leading to Petley’s death. Mr Ryan highlighted the lack of forensic evidence, such as fingerprints on the window, which would have been expected if Davis had escaped through there after committing the murder. He posited that there was a possibility that the fatal wound on Sister Petley could have been self-inflicted, particularly given the nature of the cut and Davis's claims of memory loss following her discovery of Petley. In summarising his argument, Ryan insisted that the case presented by the Crown did not meet the burden of proof required for a conviction and contended that Davis deserved a verdict of not guilty. The jurors, consisting of nine men and three women, were tasked with deliberation after Mr Justice Moller’s impending summation. The trial continues to draw significant public interest as the legal proceedings unfold.

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