- The Dishonouring of Marcus Einfeld
- By Reporter: Sarah Ferguson
- Four Corners Television
- 23/03/2009 Make a Comment (1)
- Contributed by: MrNatural ( 10 articles in 2009 )
Einfeld talks exclusively to Four Corners and begs for forgiveness:
"I'm desperately sorry for what I did. I'm sorry to my family, my elderly mother and my children. I'm sorry to the public at large because they have been my audience over the years."
He was a lawyer, a Federal Court judge and a champion of human rights but a lie over a $75 speeding fine put him in jail.
Throughout more than two years of media scrutiny and police investigation, Einfeld kept his silence. Now for the first time, he confronts the allegations against him:
"I lied. I can't say it any simpler than that. I told a lie, which was a disgraceful thing to do and for which I have been paying ever since."
On Friday, the 70 year old Einfeld was sentenced to two years in prison. In the interview recorded in the days before the sentencing, he confronted his fear of going to jail:
"I don't know that anybody can be... anybody who's never done it before like me, can be ready for it but I'm as ready as anybody can be... I've been told you need to have special protection, people don't like judges much, especially judges who've presided over criminal cases..."
On January 8th 2006, Einfeld's car was photographed by a speed camera travelling 10km above the speed limit. The former Federal Court Judge gave a sworn statement that his friend Teresa Brennan was driving his car, knowing she'd been dead for three years:
"It's probably more shameful than the driving. Teresa Brennan was a friend of mine. She was a wonderful person and for me to use her name is more hurtful than anything else."
Over four decades Marcus Einfeld made the law his life, devoting himself to the pursuit of justice. Now in this frank and revealing interview he says he wants to begin the process of restoring his reputation...
"I'm being frank as is humanly possible. I think Australian people are pretty good at forgiving people who come clean."
To understand how Marcus Einfeld was exposed Four Corners talks to the journalist who first cast doubt on his story, the colourful witnesses at his trial and the policeman who gathered the evidence that led to the charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice.
Ultimately though, this story is told by the man at the centre of the controversy, Marcus Einfeld. He let Four Corners follow him in the nervous days leading up to sentencing. We travel with him to his sentencing hearing when he hoped the testimony of his supporters would persuade the judge against a prison term...
"They are going to prove that this matter, these offences of mine are out of character that I'm a person of integrity."
Is Marcus Einfeld an honest man? Were the events of 2006 an aberration, as he calls it, or part of a pattern? Einfeld confronts these questions from reporter Sarah Ferguson:
"No, I'm not dishonest, no... I don't think I'm the slightest bit dishonest. I just made a mistake."
"I'm desperately sorry for what I did. I'm sorry to my family, my elderly mother and my children. I'm sorry to the public at large because they have been my audience over the years."
He was a lawyer, a Federal Court judge and a champion of human rights but a lie over a $75 speeding fine put him in jail.
Throughout more than two years of media scrutiny and police investigation, Einfeld kept his silence. Now for the first time, he confronts the allegations against him:
"I lied. I can't say it any simpler than that. I told a lie, which was a disgraceful thing to do and for which I have been paying ever since."
On Friday, the 70 year old Einfeld was sentenced to two years in prison. In the interview recorded in the days before the sentencing, he confronted his fear of going to jail:
"I don't know that anybody can be... anybody who's never done it before like me, can be ready for it but I'm as ready as anybody can be... I've been told you need to have special protection, people don't like judges much, especially judges who've presided over criminal cases..."
On January 8th 2006, Einfeld's car was photographed by a speed camera travelling 10km above the speed limit. The former Federal Court Judge gave a sworn statement that his friend Teresa Brennan was driving his car, knowing she'd been dead for three years:
"It's probably more shameful than the driving. Teresa Brennan was a friend of mine. She was a wonderful person and for me to use her name is more hurtful than anything else."
Over four decades Marcus Einfeld made the law his life, devoting himself to the pursuit of justice. Now in this frank and revealing interview he says he wants to begin the process of restoring his reputation...
"I'm being frank as is humanly possible. I think Australian people are pretty good at forgiving people who come clean."
To understand how Marcus Einfeld was exposed Four Corners talks to the journalist who first cast doubt on his story, the colourful witnesses at his trial and the policeman who gathered the evidence that led to the charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice.
Ultimately though, this story is told by the man at the centre of the controversy, Marcus Einfeld. He let Four Corners follow him in the nervous days leading up to sentencing. We travel with him to his sentencing hearing when he hoped the testimony of his supporters would persuade the judge against a prison term...
"They are going to prove that this matter, these offences of mine are out of character that I'm a person of integrity."
Is Marcus Einfeld an honest man? Were the events of 2006 an aberration, as he calls it, or part of a pattern? Einfeld confronts these questions from reporter Sarah Ferguson:
"No, I'm not dishonest, no... I don't think I'm the slightest bit dishonest. I just made a mistake."
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2521031.htm
Einfeld says he's sorry because he got a 2 year sentence, which will be reduced to 3 months at worst in some luxury accomodation, before being transferred to house arrest, or should we say palace arrest.
So the public understands, this sentence isn't about tellings lies, perjury or any of that evidentiary nonsense, it's simply about the fact he has embarrassed and exposed the judiciary club, for which they weren't happy to be all placed under scrutiny, especially in light of the current inquiry into "Australia's Judicial System and the Role of Judges". Click here for inquiry
Plus the fact this man will lose financially, power, influence and standing in the community in whatever form that may be, and his liberty.
Let's not be barbaric like some by praying and hoping he is not totally abandoned, losing the love and support of his children and family.
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