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The murder suspect, Henry Keogh, defended his ex gratia payment of $ 2.57 million. He said during a parliamentary inquiry that "erroneous and fabricated" evidence at his trial had deprived him of 20 years of liberty.
But her former fiancée's family, Anna-Jane Cheney, said she had never been consulted about the payment and reiterated her call for a new trial.
A South Australian parliamentary committee is investigating the government's payment of this state to Mr. Keogh, following the quashing of his conviction in 1995 for the murder of Ms. Cheney.
He told the survey Monday that the payment was a "measure of mercy" after the failure of the judicial system.
"You called this survey to ask why I was given an ex gratia payment." I ask, why not?
"What price would you put on 20 years of your life, if it had been stolen in these circumstances?"
The committee has already heard Police Commissioner Grant Stevens say that Mr. Keogh is still suspected of the death of Ms. Cheney.
The 29-year-old lawyer was found drowned in the bathtub at the couple's home in Adelaide, weeks before their wedding.
Mr. Keogh was convicted of his murder and jailed for life with a 25 year parole eligibility period.
In 2015, an appellate court ruled that the jury of Mr. Keogh's second trial had been misled by pathologist Colin Manock and that there had been a major miscarriage of justice.
A third trial was ordered, but prosecutors finally decided not to prosecute.
Mr Keogh told the commission that Mr Manock's "flawed and fabricated" evidence deprived him of 20 years of freedom.
"Can you even begin to imagine what imprisonment looked like for this period?" He asked.
"More than 7000 sunrises and sunsets that I have never seen."
But Greg Griffin, Ms. Cheney's family lawyer, told the investigation that the parents had not been consulted prior to the payment of the ex gratia payment.
"The family was shocked and appalled by the fact that this government has seen fit to pay any money … to the man they regard as the person who murdered their daughter and their brother or sister, "he said.
Mr. Griffin called on the government to publish the legal advice that led to the payment of Mr. Keogh.
He added that there was also "more than enough" evidence to lead a new circumstantial case against Mr. Keogh, and urged the Attorney General to pursue the case again.
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