At a time when justice not only needs to be done but also needs to be seen to be done, Kangaroo Justice and the Death of Mike Hall: An Australian Miscarriage of Justice asks some difficult questions that deserve to be heard and answered.
On 31 March 2017 British ultra-endurance cyclist Mike Hall was struck and killed in Australia while riding his bicycle towards Canberra. At the inquest into his death, Mike was portrayed as not being conspicuous enough to motorists. Yet his reflective clothing was not retained by police, and other physical evidence was inexplicably sent back to the family.
The driver was never charged even though he was speeding, with headlights that he stated could only project two metres and brakes that worked intermittently. Meanwhile the driver’s blood toxicology results were not presented to the Coroner until the eleventh hour, and have been kept from scrutiny - until now.
Kangaroo Justice and the Death of Mike Hall: An Australian Miscarriage of Justice is not an easy read. It recounts the avoidable death of Mike Hall in Australia, and the flawed investigation and coronial inquest that followed. This bookmay anger you and it may frustrate you, and perhaps it will move you to tears. But if it also motivates you to speak out, or speak up, then we have done right by Mike.