Australia Samantha Murphy, 51, last seen leaving her property to go for a run in the Canadian State Forest, Ballarat, 4 Feb 2024 *Arrest* #10

[ProfCluezo]

“Thou doth protest too much methinks”.

- William Shakespeare -

I agree with you Dotta, that the outcome of this possibility seems disastrous…. But it remains a possibility, however unlikely…

JMO

 

[LadyL]

I'm really surprised that someone thinking the case was in Canada hadn't come up before now.
First time I saw the thread I had to take a second look.

I'd never heard that we had a Canadian State Forest in Australia.

it definitely confused me at a glance cause I'm like, wait we don't have a Canadian State Forest

 

[Dotta]

“Thou doth protest too much methinks”.

- William Shakespeare -

Hahaha
Who knows,
Maybe I will get
"Sleuth of the Year" award?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

it definitely confused me at a glance cause I'm like, wait we don't have a Canadian State Forest

Same here.

 

[Shadow@light]

When I moved to Ballarat/ well outside of Ballarat nearly 20 years ago ,we did look at Canadian Forrest and the Suburb, beautiful place however it was too far had only one bus every one hour,I think talking to locals during the Gold Rush there were many Canadian Miners and Families lived and worked . There is a town called Miners Rest, their emblem is a Resting Welsh Miner at the campfire. Soldliers Hill was were the Soldliers were based during Gold Rush.
Wendouree was named after the word of the Indigenious Australians to White Settlers, thought for years to be saying welcome, really means "go Away" or more rudder saying.
Sadly I think Samantha Murphy could be anywhere Ballarat or Outside the Ballarat Zones, there are many State Forrests/ various Wetlands along the rural highways around Ballarat. Even Creeks. There are a lot of old roads, access roads on Farm lands you raised in Ballarat ,you know where they are.
Around the time of her disappearance, we were in a Heatwave and High Bushfire Alert at the time and Bushfires did happen after she vanished. Placed in a high risk fire zone would get rid of her body. There is also a massive Pykes Creek Reservoir out side Ballarat on both sides of the road easy access. Remote hills part of Farming
( IMO, I hate even saying these places where Sam could be. No one deserved to have their lives snuffed. No One deserves to be dump like rubbish.)
I hope Sam Murphy can be found but she can be anywhere.

 

[FromGermany1]

When I moved to Ballarat/ well outside of Ballarat nearly 20 years ago ,we did look at Canadian Forrest and the Suburb, beautiful place however it was too far had only one bus every one hour,I think talking to locals during the Gold Rush there were many Canadian Miners and Families lived and worked . There is a town called Miners Rest, their emblem is a Resting Welsh Miner at the campfire. Soldliers Hill was were the Soldliers were based during Gold Rush.
Wendouree was named after the word of the Indigenious Australians to White Settlers, thought for years to be saying welcome, really means "go Away" or more rudder saying.
Sadly I think Samantha Murphy could be anywhere Ballarat or Outside the Ballarat Zones, there are many State Forrests/ various Wetlands along the rural highways around Ballarat. Even Creeks. There are a lot of old roads, access roads on Farm lands you raised in Ballarat ,you know where they are.
Around the time of her disappearance, we were in a Heatwave and High Bushfire Alert at the time and Bushfires did happen after she vanished. Placed in a high risk fire zone would get rid of her body. There is also a massive Pykes Creek Reservoir out side Ballarat on both sides of the road easy access. Remote hills part of Farming
( IMO, I hate even saying these places where Sam could be. No one deserved to have their lives snuffed. No One deserves to be dump like rubbish.)
I hope Sam Murphy can be found but she can be anywhere.

bbm
My idea also. The fire he himself might have ignited. He would probably not shy away from that, in my eyes at least.

 

[RobinCAL]

Today - 4th June -
marks 4 months of Samantha's disappearance

"Dr Xanthe Mallett,
a criminologist from the University of Newcastle,
said she was 'surprised'
to hear the phone was in working order -
and this could potentially mean it had not been left out in the elements for the entire four months.

'The police were searching for it obviously for almost four months,
something took them to that dam,'
she told Seven's Sunrise on Tuesday morning.

'That hasn't been disclosed what evidence or intelligence that was yet, but yes, this could absolutely offer new clues that will help find Samantha'.

'As we know now, [the phone] is operational and downloadable.'

Dr Mallett speculated that a phone that had been underwater or in mud for four months would likely be 'beyond retrievable'.

'So does that indicate that it hasn't been there for the entire four months?'
she said.

'That's yet to be seen.
But it's that timeline that the police will be working on and it's certainly going to be essential in helping to develop that'.

'I think that there may be potentially more witnesses that may come forward because we now know about that dam, we know the phone is there,'
she said.

'So I'm hoping that now that information is public, other people may come forward and offer information as to

who may have dumped that phone and when'.

'You have to commend the investigators that have worked so hard on this'."

The single clue that could crack the Samantha Murphy case wide open

A leading criminologist believes Samantha Murphy's phone could reveal her final movements after the device was found in perfect working condition beside a dam.

www-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org

Expert reveals how Samantha Murphy’s ‘undamaged’ phone could lead to finding her body

Police have renewed hopes they will find the body of the missing Ballarat mother.

7news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org

'So does that indicate that it hasn't been there for the entire four months?'

This is interesting, especially if he dumped the phone just before his arrest, that was still quite a while ago now. I wonder how its in this seemingly perfect condition ?

 

[Dotta]

I have a question.

Will this fancy lawyer also deal with the accused's DUI charges?
Or are they taken care of by lawyer T.?
(his original attorney)

Phew!
Not only his family has been driven away from home
but
will also be going bankrupt sooner rather than later.

Too bad

JMO

 

[Scooby-Doo]

'So does that indicate that it hasn't been there for the entire four months?'

This is interesting, especially if he dumped the phone just before his arrest, that was still quite a while ago now. I wonder how its in this seemingly perfect condition ?

Still missing or what we haven't been told is her watch and ear pods. I wonder if someone is wearing it or has hold of it, If it can still be tracked ?

 

[Rocket333]

I know it depends on evidence and what can be proven etc, but if guilty as accused, what can someone like Galbally and his hefty price tag potentially buy PS compared to less expensive legal rep option? Or are they all around a grand an hour? Is it worth the cost for whomever is paying if PS is guilty and the evidence is irrefutable?

 

[Trooper]

I know it depends on evidence and what can be proven etc, but if guilty as accused, what can someone like Galbally and his hefty price tag potentially buy PS compared to less expensive legal rep option? Or are they all around a grand an hour? Is it worth the cost for whomever is paying if PS is guilty and the evidence is irrefutable?

Murder is an expensive pastime. Especially if you get caught. The thing about being charged with murder is, you have to have a barrister, to defend you in the Supreme Court. One has to take that expense into consideration. The more I think on it, the more I am convinced that we the good ole mug punter taxpayer is going to front up for this , and Galbally has been assigned by the court. As is all how it should be in a democratic society.

And in some ways, that is correct, because apparently, the evidence VICPOL has is outstandingly concise. Anything less than a Barrister, a KC , even, would be like taking a knife to a gunfight. Galbally somewhat evens out the playing field, so to speak.

To an experienced Barrister, no evidence is irrefutable. Never..

Is it worth it? He could plead guilty right now, nothing prevents him from doing that. He gets a discount on his sentence if he does that. Sometimes one can get about 7 to 8 years knocked off the time served before parole application. It's no small thing.

If he isn't guilty? Galbally would be like have Mohammed Ali in your corner, and Mike Tyson in the dressing shed. But the DPP has some super sharp barristers in their corner, too..

 

[Whatson]

I know it depends on evidence and what can be proven etc, but if guilty as accused, what can someone like Galbally and his hefty price tag potentially buy PS compared to less expensive legal rep option? Or are they all around a grand an hour? Is it worth the cost for whomever is paying if PS is guilty and the evidence is irrefutable?

Might be able to knock a bit of sense into the accused... Lay out his options and go for the one that will likely lead to a lesser sentence WITH parole.

On the other hand, the barrister may be able to get him acquitted of murder charge and perhaps downgraded to manslaughter. Maybe aquitted of both and sent to a mental institution or even free.

This is what will all be revealed during the trial.

It's possible the accused's family remortgaged their house to fund the costs. Maybe a retirement portfolio withdrawn early or an investment property sold off.

I'd put the barristers costs (ball park figure at $500k-1 million if he has been hired.

Tough decisions to be made, we aren't the parents of the accused nor are we "in the loop".

 

[Trooper]

I know it depends on evidence and what can be proven etc, but if guilty as accused, what can someone like Galbally and his hefty price tag potentially buy PS compared to less expensive legal rep option? Or are they all around a grand an hour? Is it worth the cost for whomever is paying if PS is guilty and the evidence is irrefutable?

Generally, of that calibre, that is the going price. Keeping in mind, that is just the Barrister. Then there are court fees, solicitors fees, administration fees, phone consults, oh, Uncle Tom Cobbly and all.

 

[Dotta]

I'd put the barristers costs (ball park figure at $500k-1 million if he has been hired.

Why are these costs so high?
Who can even afford them?

Do other professionals in different jobs value themselves so high?

(Except football players, that is)

 

[Sor Juana]

Is it worth the cost for whomever is paying if PS is guilty and the evidence is irrefutable?

Is Hiring an Expensive Lawyer Worth It?

 

[wallyworld]

It's a mid to late teen d'max... Confirmed months ago. Look at the side mirrors with the little blinker at the end of the black strip on the bottom. Also the funny shaped headlights, almost like butterfly wings.

View attachment 507824

Thanks Whatson, I didn't see the earlier post about the car... could have saved myself some time. 2014 DMAX I think

 

[Trooper]

Hefty price tags for lawyers, in a murder trial, eg, a capitol sentence, say, in the USA would set you back nothing less than USdollar $1 mill, or 2.. to have an English KC, someone from the Inner Temple, for example , would cost I dunno, about 1.5 million english pounds.. European lawyers, similar.. Poland , a good lawyer would go around 3.750.00 euros, for a small short case.. ..

A French Advocat, . similar to a Barrister, would cost around 80euros an hour, consultation, around 200 EU an hour for a national case, but the French, clever folks, have the Macron Regulation which oversees these charges..

 

[Warshawski]

One of the irritating things about life is, some things are not plainly laid out!. I would like to attempt to speak to why, on a purely amateur basis.

What we do not know... ( to start with ) Yes, it was announced on Monday, that Mr P Galbally was his barrister. The announcement was a delightful obscurity in that it did not say, how long has he been his barrister, exactly when he was appointed, ( this is crucial info, IMO ), who is paying, and the article made no reference to the finding of the phone as related to his appointment.

So, we do not know if Galbally was appointed by the court. This is entirely possible, Mr S is entitled to representation and since it is a Supreme Court trial ( murder always is) he requires a Supreme Court qualified barrister. We, the taxpayer fund this, for anyone in this situation. You, the taxpayer would foot the bill for me. .

The roster for this assignment is always secret, even the barristers don't know, but they are not allowed to refuse. The first cab off the rank rule , rules. If it is this case he got a lucky draw, because Paul is Barrister of the Year, no small label.

If this is the scenario, the mystery remains as to why it has taken so long for a barrister to be appointed, if the appointment was on Monday. If it was months back , why the secrecy? It's a reasonable question.


It is difficult to believe that the announcement, on the heels of the phone finding is not related. It may not be, but my money is on , it is.

Deeply related, This is 8 weeks out from trial and the axis has somewhat shifted, in so far as a small unravelling of the murder with potentially huge and fast unravelling looming up , that a possibly new date for the summary hearing may be coming up.

It is difficult to believe that Patrick Stephenson, a 22 yr old electrician apprentice, can cough up Paul's fees. So someone else is paying, if this is a private hire, and not an assigned hire.

I do not think even his father and mother would have the collateral for what may be a very prolonged legal stoush,.

One thing I would offer is, it would be pointless hiring Galbally if you are going to plead guilty. If you've been assigned Galbally, it would be equally pointless, so I expect a not guilty plea and let the chips fall where they may.


It will not faze the very very savvy Barristers who work for the Dept. of Public Prosecutors, though, this is meat and beer to them, just a days work, the Galbally frere know this very well, it is not an unequal contest, by any means.

Absolutely Trooper, 100% agree - you just say it all so much better than I ever could
Thank you.

 

[Warshawski]

A good barrister can project many facets, all of which appear to be the genuine thing.. one day a promoter of old lady bashing, next day a protector of sleazy off course betting spivs.. it's all in a days work.

The feminist provocation thing ( gritted teeth , here ) was once a real thing in Victoria 's courts. Back in 2003, Jamie Ramage murdered his wife, and claimed provocation, he said she made disparaging remarks about certain bodily parts attached to his person, which made him strangle her. He got 8 years for it, but the backlash was immense from Victoria's mouthy women, and the statute was struck from the ledger, no bloke can pull that one off again.

Galbally will float with the vibe, as they say. I do wonder what the defence will consist off. The curiousity is in overdrive.

Chuckling at one of your lines Troop

 

[Rocket333]

I'd put the barristers costs (ball park figure at $500k-1 million if he has been hired.

O M G. Who would fork that out given the current outlook? What a mammoth parental quandary (or not) if they’re funding it.

The more I think on it, the more I am convinced that we the good ole mug punter taxpayer is going to front up for this , and Galbally has been assigned by the court. As is all how it should be in a democratic society.

Right, thanks. Because PS needs a Barrister and has a right to fair representation, he gets one assigned if he’s not proactive about hiring one for himself. And we all chip in for Galbally’s fees for defending PS if he’s assigned by the court. I bet that’s what’s happening too. P O S

To an experienced Barrister, no evidence is irrefutable. Never..

That is fascinating.