Family, friends and justice supporters rallied on October 16 in support of Jock Palfreeman, a 23-year-old Australian jailed in Bulgaria, whose appeal started on October 21.
Palfreeman was convicted of premeditated murder for an incident in 2007. But he says he was acting in self defence when he ran to the aid of two Roma men being attacked by 16 men. During the ensuing conflict, two of the attackers suffered stab wounds, and one died.
Palfreeman was sentenced to 20 years’ jail and fined $375,000, despite eyewitness accounts supporting his account and key CCTV footage going missing.
Palfreeman’s father, Simon Palfreeman, told supporters at the rally: “We hope that these three [appeal case] judges will acknowledge that the original trial was severely flawed and give Jock the justice he deserves.”
The October 22 Sydney Morning Herald reported the Sofia Appeals Court inBulgaria had refused a request to review the CCTV footage. The appeal has been ajourned until November 11.
For more information about the trial, and how to help Palfreeman, visit www.freejock.net.