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“So elated”: Kathleen Folbigg’s reunion with lifelong friend following pardon

<p dir="ltr">After spending 20 years behind bars Kathleen Folbigg is starting a new chapter as a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/kathleen-folbigg-pardoned-after-20-years-behind-bars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free woman</a>, and the first person who welcomed her back was her lifelong friend, Tracy Chapman.</p> <p dir="ltr">Folbigg, 55, who was convicted of killing her three children Patrick, Sarah and Laura and the manslaughter of her firstborn Caleb between 1989 to 1999, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/kathleen-folbigg-pardoned-after-20-years-behind-bars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pardoned</a> on Monday and released immediately.</p> <p dir="ltr">Just hours after she walked out a free woman, Folbigg was reunited with her lifelong friend in a warm embrace on Chapman’s farm in northern NSW.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I am so elated it's not funny. I am nervous and I am everything," Folbigg told <em>9News</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">With her newfound freedom, Folbigg couldn’t say what would come next.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't know. I need a drink of water. I don't know about anything else," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chapman, who was an advocate for Folbigg since her conviction 20 years ago, created a “sanctuary” on the farm in case her best friend was pardoned, so she could have somewhere "peaceful, quiet,” to return to where “she's surrounded by animals".</p> <p dir="ltr">Folbigg has always maintained her innocence, and said that her children all died of natural causes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Former NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst KC, has submitted the new scientific evidence in an inquiry into the death of her babies, and is currently writing up a final report, which could be finished this month.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

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Kathleen Folbigg pardoned after 20 years behind bars

<p>Jailed in 2003 and considered at the time to be Australia’s most prolific female serial killer, Kathleen Folbigg has now been pardoned over the death of her four children and will be released without delay.</p> <p>Folbigg, 55, was convicted of killing her three children Patrick, Sarah and Laura, and was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her firstborn Caleb between 1989 to 1999.</p> <p>Her babies were aged between 19 days and 19 months.</p> <p>The historic convictions have not been quashed as that can only be done through the Court of Criminal Appeal.</p> <p>Folbigg has always maintained her innocence, insisting that her children had each died of natural causes, and as a result she has served 20 years of a minimum 25-year prison sentence.</p> <p>NSW Attorney General Michael Daley announced the pardon, saying Folbigg had endured “a terrible ordeal” and there was a possibility she could sue the government if the convictions were quashed, a legal step which goes beyond a pardon.</p> <p>"What is the difference between today and what has transpired in the past? New evidence has come to light," he said, referring to new scientific evidence submitted in an inquiry into the death of the babies.</p> <p>Former NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst KC is leading the inquiry and is now writing up a final report for the NSW governor.</p> <p>Daley said he had received a phone from Chief Justice Bathurst last week that "he had come to a firm view" about what the outcome of his report would be.</p> <p>Prosecutors argued Folbigg smothered her children during periods of frustration and insisted that some of her diary entries were admissions of guilt.</p> <p>New scientific evidence has now cast sufficient doubt on her guilt.</p> <p>Folbigg and her two daughters were found to carry a rare genetic variant, CALM2-G114R, which can cause cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death.</p> <p>According to cardiology and genetic experts, the genetic verity was a “reasonably possible cause” of Sarah and Laura’s death.</p> <p>The variant was not found in Caleb or Patrick.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

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Trump sneaks in one more official pardon

<p><span>Former President Donald Trump has made one last pardon in his final hours of presidency.</span><br /><br /><span>Fox News host Jeanine Pirro has successfully lobbied the US politician and TV star to pardon her ex-husband after learning he was not on Trump’s final pardon list, which was released on Wednesday.</span><br /><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839598/trump.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a9279398dfe647fe8a4a5ccf923fd558" /><br /><span>Albert J Pirro Jr was convicted on conspiracy and tax evasion charges after improperly deducting $1.5 million (US$1.2 million) of his personal expenses in business write-offs.</span><br /><br /><span>Reports via CNN claim Mr Pirro was not on the pardon list, before his ex-wife lobbied for Mr Trump’s help.</span><br /><br /><span>Aides were told midmorning in the middle of changing over duties to the new administration, that Mr Pirro’s pardon needed to be done.</span><br /><br /><span>CNN reported the order came as a surprise as they rushed to fulfill the pardon before Trump’s reign ended at midday.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Pirro joins a number of individuals who received last-minute pardons and commutations yesterday from Mr Trump.</span><br /><br /><span>This includes his onetime political strategist Steve Bannon, former top fundraiser Elliott Broidy and well-known rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.</span><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839597/trump-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fc751a69ff784ee0aea117755511ff77" /></p> <p><em>Donald Trump with rapper Lil Wayne. </em></p> <p><span>Jeanine Pirro is one of Fox News’ highest-rated weekend hosts, and has gotten cozy with Mr Trump for being one of his most vehement defenders.</span><br /><br /><span>She attended his annual New Year's Eve party in December 2020.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Trump, and Pirro clearly have developed an alliance as he called for Fox News to bring the host “back” after she was reportedly suspended by the network following commentary that doubted the patriotism of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar.</span><br /><br /><span>"Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro," Trump tweeted.</span><br /><br /><span>"The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well."</span><br /><br /><span>Ms Pirro targeted Ms Omar, who is one of the few Muslim members of Congress.</span><br /><br /><span>She pointed out the political figure’s religious head covering.</span><br /><br /><span>"Think about it: Omar wears a hijab," Ms Pirro said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"</span><br /><br /><span>Her remarks prompted Fox to release a statement, "We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments" and went on to say that the views she expressed "do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly."</span></p>

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