OZschwitz Injustice: $1 Million Settlement

Subject: OZschwitz Injustice: $1 Million Settlement Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:30 pm

Mint swindle injustice: brothers get $1m

OZschwitz Injustice: $1 Million Settlement Mickelberg_wideweb__470x300,0

The Mickelberg brothers have reached a $1 million settlement with the West Australian government over their wrongful conviction and imprisonment for the 1982 Perth Mint Swindle.

Brothers Ray and Peter were awarded $500,000 each. The third brother, Brian, died in a light aircraft crash in 1986 after serving nine months in jail.

In a joint statement, they said they felt they had no option but to accept the offer, even though it was far less than the sums offered to other people who had been wrongfully convicted.

"Somehow the Government sees our miscarriage as less than those in other cases, we are struggling to see why when there is overwhelming evidence of police corruption by a number of officers in our case."

Ray served eight and a half years in prison.

Peter was stripped, beaten and forced to sign a false statement by corrupt detective Tony Lewandowski, who committed suicide in May 2004 after confessing to his role in the affair and implicating other officers.

He served nearly seven years. Peter said no amount of money could ever compensate for the physical and emotional devastation.

"I wouldn't wish this experience on my worst enemy, it's like being in your own horror movie that's what it feels like to be locked up in prison for something you didn't do," Peter Mickelberg said.

"Although this money will never give us back what we lost, we are now able to move on, clear some debts and try to make a good life for ourselves and our family."

Ray Mickelberg described the government's offer as token, but said he wanted to move on with his life and spend more time with family.

Last month the WA police commissioner, Karl O'Callaghan, apologised to Ray and Peter.

Link.

OZschwitz Injustice: $1 Million Settlement

OZschwitz Injustice: $1 Million Settlement

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