The Shooting Death of My Son Jason Protheroe

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Letter Received from Deputy Commissioner (Specials Operations Unit)

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Letter 15/7/2014

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

Stephen Protheroe

RE: GERARD BADEN CLAY CONVICTED TODAY OF MURDERING WIFE ALISON

My name is Stephen Protheroe. I’m the father of Jason Protheroe. Three days prior to the disappearance and murder of Alison Baden Clay my son Jason was shot dead by Queensland Police Officer Thomas Hess by way of two gun shot wounds to the back of his body.

The only difference between Gerard Baden Clay and Thomas Hess getting away with murder is that Baden Clay chose the wrong career. He should have become a Qld Police Detective and have his police gang mates lie and protect him with their brotherhood mentality, and a government too scared or too corrupt to stand up and give my son Jason a fair chance at justice, like what was given to Alison and her family.

Unlike Alison, the evidence at Jason's coronial inquest was not circumstantial. There was an eye witness to the murder of my son by Detective Thomas Hess. The only other witness was Senior Constable Troy Weston, the partner of Thomas Hess.

At Jason’s coronial inquest, lead council assisting the Coroner, Peter Johns, stated that very little weight should be placed on the evidence from Senior Constable Troy Weston. Peter Johns also stated in his closing submissions that there was no basis on which you would comfortably find or find at all that Krystal Sinn (the independent, non-police eye witness) lied.

Police Minister Jack Dempsy, on national television, promised my family and the public an open and transparent investigation, yet five days after the closure of the inquest, coroner Michael Barnes gagged all the evidence from the media and the public. I believe this was done solely because of my efforts to inform the public of the facts that came out during the course of the inquiry that was paramount to the disclosure of the real truth. I believe it also proves that Jack Dempsy’s words were nothing more than a disguise to fool the people of this state in an attempt to cover the actions of his own men.

A jury of twelve people found Gerard Baden Clay guilty of Alison's murder based on circumstantial evidence. The media was not intimidated and printed what appeared to be the truth for Alison and her family. And yet five days after closing the coronial inquest into Jason’s death, coroner Michael Barnes gagged all of the evidence from the public and the media, preventing the truth from being told. What was he or the Queensland Government scared of? Take a police officer out of this equation and ask yourself how many coroners decisions are gagged from media and public scrutiny. As I’ve stated before, a badge and a gun does not give you the right to kill!

As Jason’s father I’m aware of the real evidence and my resolve will not be broken. I believe the killer of my son, Police Officer, Thomas Hess is no different to Gerard Baden Clay, Husband and real estate agent and therefore should not be treated any differently because he chose a career as a Qld police officer.

In summary, I have been threatened by the Attorney General Jarrod Bleijie with contempt of court if I persist in speaking the truth of the gagged evidence of my sons murder-on this blog.

The media may be too scared to print the truth about my son for fear of retribution by the government run court system, but I am not. I intend to defy the corrupt order given by Coroner Michael Barnes and will openly share the real visual and audio evidence supplied by the Police officer who put two bullets into the back of my son’s body, Detective Constable Thomas Hess, his partner, Senior Detective Troy Weston and independent eye witness Crystal Sinn who are the only people present at the time of my son’s death.

I would like to sincerely offer my condolences to the family of Alison Baden Clay. May you finally find peace and closure.

Myself and my family stand alone. We do not have the support of the government and now the gag order has prevented us from having the support of the media.

Please help us in our quest to be heard by giving your opinions and use social media to share with your friends.

Steve Protheroe

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Letter to Attorney General - 2 years after Jason's Death

16^th April, 2014

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

Jarrod Bleijie

Level 18

State Law Building

50 Ann Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Dear Mr Bleijie

I have now written to you on 3 separate occasions (1^st December 2013, 14^th December 2013 and 23^rd March 2014) and here I am yet again writing to you as I am yet to receive any form of response from you with regard to any of my letters. It has been 2 years since Jason was shot and killed by Detective Thomas Hess and this government continues to sit on its hands and do nothing but ignore the facts, the evidence and the undeniable truth that things just don’t add up here.

We have asked you several times to review the evidence of Jason’s case, have an open look at all the inconsistencies, and be honest with the citizens of Queensland. I ask you yet again why should a Police Officer not face a jury of 12 independent people like any other lay person? Two years on my family continue our fight for justice for Jason and we will not rest until the day that Detective Thomas Hess faces a jury and we are given a verdict from independent people, after the evidence is tried and tested, after all the inconsistencies are probed and answers given as to why versions have changed over and over again by the Police. Only then can we truly accept the fate of our son.

On that point of versions changing, are you aware that at the initial critical interview with Detective Thomas Hess at the Boondall Police Station, the afternoon of the shooting. Inspector Walton asks Detective Thomas Hess how Jason was shot in the back and Detective Thomas Hess responded by saying because he was going for cover, he had the perfect cover, and I had none. Yet the following day at his walk through his version of events changed to Jason and I were standing approx. 2 meters apart, face to face, stationary, arms out stretched, then I aimed for centre of mass and fired and Jason was still standing when I finished firing.

I am also reiterating the last inconsistencies I advised you of, and with each letter I write to you I will include another inconsistency. On the afternoon of Jason’s killing Ian Leavers in his capacity of Qld Police Union President stated words to the effect that the reputation of these two detectives involved were beyond reproach. Are you aware that in the short period Detective Thomas Hess, the killer if not murderer of my son has been with Qld Police Force approximately 5 years. In this short time Detective Thomas Hess has 3 complaints of allegations against his name including 5^th March 2007 Police Officer may be supplying local drug suppliers with information identifying details relating to planned police raids in Karanda, Mareeba and Cairns district. 23^rd May 2011 officer drew firearm although not discharged and 28^th June 2011 forced confessions/threats to induce admissions/confessions/obtain incriminating evidence.

Are you also aware in the evidence that Thomas Hess started his own recording from the lanyard around his neck after the shooting occurred? During this recording an officer came up to Hess and clearly asks did he have a gun? Thomas Hess replied yeh mate yeh. Then he removed his lanyard/recording device and placed it down, you then hear him go off and whisper to this officer before he returns for approx. 1min 40seconds. It is not clear exactly what is being said between Hess and this other officer however parts that can be made out clearly demonstrate that he is giving a version of what happened. At the inquest he was asked if the officer he was talking to could have been Officer Weston and he replied with “quite possibly it could have been him”. Once again all of this contradicts the statements given by Hess and Weston that they had not spoken at all.

In summary, two years has passed since Jason was shot dead by Thomas Hess and still no justice has been seen. Well may you have your text book protocol to cover up, distort, pollute, lie, manipulate and to pervert the course of justice but I am here to tell you that I will not be threatened, intimidated, abused, accused or silenced. Your ignorance is something I anticipated long ago. Not only your ignorance but your arrogance has proven that the police gang mentality is alive and rife in this state and you are the “first lawman” of this state. I have all the video, audio, photographic and written evidence of Jason’s case and I will continue to share this with people on my blogsite. I am currently making a documentary showing all the inconsistencies and differing accounts and I will air this documentary on the internet for the public to form their own opinion. I was gagged from telling the truth, the media was gagged from printing the truth and the public were gagged from hearing the truth, however I will be gagged no longer.

Yours Faithfully

Stephen Protheroe

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Letter to Attorney General 23-3-14

23^rd March 2013

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

Jarrod Bleijie

Level 18

State Law Building

50 Ann Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Dear Mr Bleijie

I wrote to you on 1^st December 2013 and again on 14^th December 2013 (I have attached copies of these letters) and I am yet to receive any form of response from you with regard to either letter. Since writing those letters we have received a response from the Ethical Standards Command with regard to the complaint of perjury that I made against Inspector Mark Reid the lead investigator in the case relating to the death of my son Jason Protheroe. I have attached a copy of the letter that I sent the Crime and Misconduct Commission and the replies I have received from Queensland Police Service Ethical Standards branch and Crime and Misconduct Commission for your investigation.

At no point did I lodge an official complaint against Snr Detective Sergeant Anthony Buxton, nor did I suggest that he did not pass on information to Inspector Mark Reid. In fact I felt quite comfortable with the reassurance from Detective Anthony Buxton that he did in fact pass on all my questions and feedback to the boss aka lead Investigator Inspector Mark Reid. The initial letter received from the Crime and Misconduct Commission stated that I would be contacted via Qld Police Investigating this matter and yet neither myself, my son Stuart or my son Stephen were contacted by anyone regarding this investigation, so how exactly did any investigation occur without even talking to the key players who were present for the conversation that I referred to in my letter. The post hearing letters that I have received are a continual indictment of how I believe the case was run from day one. I believe they are still continuing with their deliberate and damning lies. I believe they have continually perverted and polluted the case from the outset from Ian Leavers the Qld Police union President, Senior Constable Thomas Hess if not the murderer of my son, undisputedly the killer of my son, Troy Weston the partner of Thomas Hess, Inspector Mark Reid the lead investigator of the case and Constable Belinda Baker. The Minister for Police Jack Dempsey stated on national television that my sons case would be open and transparent, yet Coroner Michael Barnes gagged the evidence of this case 5 days after the inquest concluded with the support of the Qld Government, Qld Police force, Ethical Standards, CMC and Police union to suppress the truth so that they could legally sweep my son’s death under a rug and protect their own police member aka gang member. Open and Transparent in what way exactly? In my mind this was no more than an attempt at the perversion of justice, if I’m wrong please explain, I eagerly await your reply as would any intelligent person reading this letter.

We have asked you several times to look at Jason’s case as a whole, look at all the inconsistencies and look at the evidence as a whole. I continue to ask the question why should a Police Officer not face a jury of 12 independent people like any other lay person, especially when there is inconsistencies in the evidence including from the shooting officer’s own partner on the day. As a family we will continue our fight for justice for Jason until the day that Thomas Hess faces a jury and we are given a verdict from independent people, after the evidence is tried and tested, after all the inconsistencies are probed and answers given as to why versions have changed over and over again by the Police. Only then can we truly accept the fate of our son.

On the afternoon of Jason’s killing Ian Leavers in his capacity of Qld Police Union President stated words to the effect that the reputation of these two detectives involved were beyond reproach. Are you aware that in the short period Detective Thomas Hess, the killer if not murderer of my son has been with Qld Police Force approximately 5 years. In this short time Detective Thomas Hess has 3 complaints of allegations against his name including 5^th March 2007 Police Officer may be supplying local drug suppliers with information identifying details relating to planned police raids in Karanda, Mareeba and Cairns district. 23^rd May 2011 officer drew firearm although not discharged and 28^th June 2011 forced confessions/threats to induce admissions/confessions/obtain incriminating evidence.

Are you also aware that at the inquest Thomas Hess’ own barrister made a statement that Thomas Hess should be given a commendation for killing our son? Given the facts and the evidence of this case I ask what sort of justice system we have here in Queensland. Although I have only mentioned a couple of inconsistencies here, there are countless others, in fact I’m sure I could write a whole book about this case and the inconsistencies.

I ask you how three people directly witnessed the killing of my son and two out of the three including an independent eye witness Krystal Sinn and a Police officer Snr Detective Troy Weston firstly number one did not see a weapon in my son’s hands as he was being shot dead by Detective Thomas Hess although they both said they witnessed the shooting. Secondly nor did they see Detective Thomas Hess remove the alleged weapon from Jason’s hands as he lay motionless on the ground. Even though Snr Detective Weston was supposedly right there covering Jason as Hess removed the alleged weapon from Jason’s hands and threw it backwards onto the grass. I believe Snr Detective Weston stated that he first saw the alleged gun in the grass after coming back into the rear of the yard after calling the ambulance. I believe that in any other killing this alone would be cause for this case to be tried and tested by an independent jury of 12 people.

In summary, I believe because Qld Police Detective Thomas Hess shot and killed my son and he is the only person to state uncategorically that he saw the alleged weapon although the two eye witnesses did not see this alleged weapon at any time during the killing, I believe the only reason a jury trial was not held is because he is a Qld Police Officer. No Police Officer is above the law. From day one I have fought a hostile Qld Police Union, a hostile Qld Police Ethical Standards Unit, a hostile Qld Police Force, a hostile Crime and Misconduct Commission, a hostile Coroner, a hostile Government and a hostile Attorney General and yet these post killing correspondence clearly show what you’ve done throughout the whole case, you’ve ignored all of the evidence, you sit back and you’ve now decided to say absolutely nothing to me accept distort what I’ve been saying and then turn it around and tell us that everything is above board. Well it’s not “above board”, I don’t accept it. We’ve asked you to look at our case, what have you done? We’re tired of this Police gang mentality, it’s got to stop. Justice is there for everybody. If the Qld Police are prepared to take the applause when solving high profile murder cases then they also better get prepared for the criticism when totally ignoring facts to protect their own members. Whilst I would never compare police investigations or cases anyone who has lost a son through murder of any form knows the days faced through investigation and unanswered questions. But when your son is killed by a member of the Qld Police Force it makes the struggle so much harder. I only hope I can maintain the courage and dignity to get my resolve. So Mr Bleijie the first lawman of the state I ask you what have you done and are you going to investigate our son’s case or are you going to continue to ignore our correspondence in the hope that we might just disappear one day?

Yours Faithfully

Stephen Protheroe

Attachments to Letter To Attorney General 23-3-14

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Letter to Attorney General 23-3-14 * Further Attachments will Follow Tomorrow ***

23^rd March 2013

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

Jarrod Bleijie

Level 18

State Law Building

50 Ann Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Dear Mr Bleijie

Yours Faithfully

Stephen Protheroe

Friday, January 31, 2014

Update

1^st February 2014

On 17^th April 2012 my son Jason Paul Protheroe was shot dead by way of 2 bullets to the back of his body by a Queensland Police Officer. At the time it was reported on national television by Queensland Police union boss Mr Ian Leavers that my son had hunted these two police officers down with a fully loaded semi-automatic weapon with the intentions of shooting them, he described it as a case of shoot or be shot. Mr Leavers stated my son had been fatally shot in the chest and lower abdomen. The shooting officer Detective Senior Constable Thomas Hess at the time during his initial interview that evening stated that my son Jason had chased him across the yard into a carport and was standing face to face in a stationary position approximately 2 metres apart with arms out stretched aiming this alleged weapon at him and was still facing him when he went down. He fired 4 shots, 4 shells were found and 2 bullets were found in Jason’s body and the other 2 bullets were never recovered.

Two days later as the case unfolded I attended the John Tonge Centre (morgue) where an autopsy had been carried out on Jason. I was then told that the 2 bullets that had entered my son’s body were to the back of his body. One to the left hand back of his shoulder and the other two inches from the lower spine on the right hand side. This was an absolute and direct contradiction as to the Official version given. There were two other people who witnessed this event one was the partner of the Police Officer Troy Weston who’s official version on the day of the shooting was he thought he saw something dark in Jason’s hand but he could not say it was a weapon or a gun. After Jason fell to the ground Thomas Hess asked his partner Troy Weston to cover him which he did. Thomas Hess stated that he then bent down and took the alleged weapon from Jason’s hand and threw it on the ground behind him, Troy Weston did not see a gun in Jason’s hand nor did he see Thomas Hess remove a gun from Jason’s hand even though he was standing there covering him. There were no fingerprints at all found on the alleged weapon. He said in court that he first saw the alleged weapon on the grass when he came back in. The third person who was present was an independent civilian witness who lived at the house stated uncategorically that Jason was unarmed when Thomas Hess fired the shots at him.

Also when visiting the Morgue I became aware of the alleged fully loaded semi-automatic pistol found on the ground near my son where Thomas Hess allegedly threw it, was in fact a toy replica pistol. In the pathologists original autopsy report released on 7^th August 2012 it was noted that it would be difficult if not impossible to interpret and reconstruct how these shots were sustained in the circumstances as described in the Police Form 1. This is clearly not an open and shut case as they would have had me and the people of Australia believe on the day of the shooting. The findings of the Coroner went against my son clearly ignoring all the evidence as well the recommendations of his own leading counsellor Peter Johns in making his decision. Before my son’s death an election was held on 24h March 2012 and a new Government was elected led by Queensland’s new Premier Campbell Newman. I have sent letters to the Premier, Attorney General Jarrod Bleijie, Ethical Standards Command Qld Police Force, Queensland Police Commissioner, Queensland Police Minister and Criminal Misconduct Committee. I have received little in the form of replies, in fact they have not assisted in any way to help me find the truth. Basically they have ignored my requests hoping that this family would just give up and go away. “NEWSFLASH” it’s not going to happen. I have been threatened with contempt of court by the Attorney General in a letter dated 27^th November 2013 if I did not remove certain facts and opinions on my blog site. I have not nor will I ever remove these comments.

I believe that the foot soldiers of the Queensland Police Force are honourable and decent young people who joined the force to make Queensland a better place. However, they take their orders from the hierarchy of the Queensland Police gang (service). The problem lies with the hierarchy of the Queensland Police gang (Service), the mentality of the brotherhood is taught to these young people which comes directly from the Police hierarchy. Premier Campbell Newman, Police Minister Jack Dempsey, Police Minister Ian Stewart, Police Union Boss Ian Leavers, the Attorney General Jarrod Bleijie and the non-union members of the Police Force and their predecessors. I have said in the past that my resolve will not fail and I reiterate that I or my family will not rest until Detective Senior Constable Thomas Hess faces a jury of independent people for the death of my son Jason.

I have also said that a police badge and a gun is not a licence to kill. The fact remains that if a lay person was in the same situation they would face a jury and have to prove innocence or self-defence and the same law should apply to police officers. On 17^th April this year will mark the second anniversary of my son’s death. Two years since he was taken away from us and still we seek the truth. Jason may not be here to tell us the truth, we were not there to see the truth, but one thing that is absolutely clear is that Detective Senior Constable Thomas Hess admitted he killed my son by way of two bullet wounds to the back of his body. In my mind all the evidence suggests that Thomas Hess illegally killed our son and the investigation was absolutely and totally incompetent be it deliberate, or be it Police and Government hierarchy brotherhood mentality. My family and I will never give up on the truth.

Stephen Protheroe

Friday, December 13, 2013

Latest Letter to the Attorney General

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

Jarrod Bleijie

Level 18

State Law Building

50 Ann Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Dear Mr Bleijie

On December 1 2013 I responded to your letter with regard to the death of my son Jason Protheroe. In that letter I said I will endeavour to seek legal advice at my earliest convenience and make my decision after receiving such advice. On reflection, after 13 days to consider what I believe to be your threatening letter I’ve decided that I will not succumb to your bullying or threats and I will not edit or delete anything I have posted on my blog site. I believe that I have spent 20 months trying to argue the truth and what the Queensland police union, the Ethical Standards unit, The Coroner and you have done nothing but try to cover up the truth. I say prove to me that I am wrong because I do not lie and I will never ever make a statement that I believe to be incorrect, I am not an idiot and I have the evidence to prove what I am saying. Why should I believe anything that is said when clearly the hard facts and evidence points to lies and untruths. A young woman witnessed the events that took place that day, a police officer was told by Troy Weston the partner of Thomas Hess on the day that he saw nothing on the day as he dodged behind a car to take cover, even though in evidence at the Coronial Inquest he claimed he did not say this or he can’t explain where Inspector Jones got that version from. The truth in this matter remains unchanged. I believe that Thomas Hess needs to stand trial for the unlawful killing if not murder of my son and if you do your job and investigate the case as a whole with all its inconsistencies then you will understand where I am coming from. If you as the first law officer of the state can’t see what I believe to be the truth then I will continue to proceed with my own private prosecution in 2014 against:

Ian Leavers (I am still awaiting a reply from the CMC regarding my complaint of misconduct against him for the perversion of justice)

Thomas Hess for the unlawful killing if not murder of my son

Troy Weston who I believe the evidence suggests committed perjury

Mark Reid from Ethical Standards command who I believe the evidence suggests committed perjury (I am still awaiting a reply from the CMC regarding my complaint of misconduct against him for the perversion of justice)

Constable Belinda Baker who I believe the evidence suggests committed perjury

I ask you where are the responses and answers to all of my legitimate complaints I have submitted? How long does it take to pick up a phone and ask the question “where are we at with this?” As the number one law man of the state I expect you have the power to get answers.

In summary, a fair system would see that it is unmistakable that Thomas Hess killed my son by way of two gunshot wounds to the back of his body contrary to what Michael Barnes stated in his findings. Pathologist Ben Ong originally stated that it would be difficult if not impossible to interpret and reconstruct how these shots were sustained in the circumstances as described in Police Form 1. This same Pathologist stated at the Coronial Inquest that he changed his autopsy results because Ethical Standards aka Mark Reid asked him to. No matter how much I love my son the reality is I was not there on the day. I have never ever said I was there, the only thing I have ever tried to do and will continue to do is search for the truth. The greatest respect I can show Jason and the legacy I can leave to my family and Jason’s children is to stand up for the truth, not be bullied, not turn a blind eye to the truth, not be silenced by the hierarchy of the Qld Police service or the Government bodies including the Ethical Standards Command, Crime and Misconduct Commission and the Attorney General’s Office aka Jarrod Bleijie.

Yours Faithfully

Stephen Protheroe

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Reply to the Attorney General

1^st December 2013

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

Jarrod Bleijie

Level 18

State Law Building

50 Ann Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Dear Mr Bleijie

I received your letter dated 27 November 2013 on the afternoon of Friday 29 November 2013. I would like to address your concerns that you have raised and in my opinion clearly my rights as an individual to speak freely is now under attack and threat by you. Your interpretation of my opinion is just that an interpretation, I have not stated any of the items which you wish to be removed as fact, it is purely my opinion.

Everything is open to interpretation and we as people will always interpret things differently. One could interpret that your letter is a threat to stop me from finding the truth and justice for our son. In saying that it may well be interpreted that way by any intelligent person, but only you as the writer can answer that with honesty.

Under this threat you have requested that I remove certain items from my blog site which I am at this point unwilling to do. However, I will endeavour to seek legal advice at my earliest convenience and make my decision after receiving such advice.

I find it amusing that you would underline my question “Who is Michael Barnes? God help any young student who googles the question who is Michael Barnes? And God save our children in social studies classes in the future who may dare ask who is Jarrod Bleijie? But don’t worry rest assured I won’t ask.

I note that you have clearly spent a lot of time reviewing my blog site as you have stated in your letter on page 1 paragraph 2. I have previously sent you 2 letters on 3 June 2013 & 30 September 2012 regarding my son’s death where you stated you were unable to help at the time as the Coronial inquest needed to take place. The Coronial inquest is now over and I would now officially ask that you investigate and review the entire case thoroughly as a whole. After investigating all of the countless inconsistencies of this case I would ask you as first law officer of the state to overturn the Coroner’s findings or bring pressure to bear on the appropriate government body to do so to allow a jury to decide whether Officer Thomas Hess acted within the law when he shot and killed my son.

Yours Faithfully

Stephen Protheroe

Letter received from the Attorney General

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Jason Protheroe ABC612 Radio Interview 11-10-13

Hi my name is Steve Protheroe I am Jason Protheroe’s dad. I just wanted to further address a few of my comments I made in reference to some of the questions asked by Steve Austin ABC612 radio programme. I thank Steve Austin for being the only media representative to actually care enough to even listen to what I have to say. I have not seen this level of integrity in any other media programme. First issue to raise is the question put to me which was “What role did Jason play on the day that led to him being shot?” First of all the question itself to me is impossible to answer on the spot. But given time to reflect my answer is quite simple “Jason played the biggest role of all he was the victim”. As for my comment saying wells running dry, the last thing I would ever want to do is publicly tell anyone where I stand financially. However, I will now answer in this way. “I may or may not be a wealthy man, but between myself my wife and my children we have enough resources to see most importantly Thomas Hess face a jury for the killing death of our son, and his partner Troy Weston for what I believe to be his untruthful testimony backed up by the Coroners own Counsel and right hand man Mr Peter Johns who in his submissions was very adamant that very little weight be placed on the testimony of Troy Weston the partner of Thomas Hess especially in regard to whether Jason was in fact pointing a weapon at Thomas Hess. He in fact said that one would have serious doubts as to whether Troy Weston in fact saw anything that might have been a gun or any other object in Jason’s hands. I would also like to point out the submission made by Peter Johns on the evidence given by Krystal Sinn the only non-police eye witness who was there when it happened. In His submission he stated that there is no basis you would comfortably find or find at all that Krystal Sinn is lying. Based on all the evidence, documentation and interviews we have my family and I concurred with these submissions made by Peter Johns. And no we haven’t forgotten about the officers who I believe told deliberate untruths on the stand. When I was growing up to lie on the stand was called perjury, that in itself was considered a criminal offence that a person was indicted for, in Jason’s case they called it an untruth or sometimes they even called it confusion, you work it out for yourself. What’s happened to the term investigative journalism? It seems to me that all the media is running scared after a non-publication order put in place by the State Coroner 5 days after the inquest was closed, which in itself is questionable as the law states any non-publication orders must be put in place immediately. I ask myself what’s wrong with the media of this country and why is no journalist interested in supporting me, talking to me and hearing the facts as we know it. The media was very quick to jump on this story when it happened when Ian Leavers was sprouting off that Jason was a career criminal who hunted down police. But yet when proven that Jason was shot in the back twice and that Thomas Hess who shot Jason dead was the only person who actually saw any alleged weapon in his hands, no journalist wants to tell the public the real story. I challenge any member of the media to contact me and listen to what I have to say. I ask you as a member of the public do you not find it unusual that the media has not even tried to do a story on what really happened to Jason on that day and how he could possibly have been shot in the back twice whilst standing in a stationary position with his arm or arms outstretched allegedly pointing a toy replica pistol at Thomas Hess and the only non-Police witness who has been never swayed from the fact that Jason was unarmed. This is my message to the any media worldwide, if you don’t have the guts to stand up to the Qld Police hierarchy or the Qld government who has noticeably gagged all of the evidence of the inquest and said nothing, then attack me, attack what I’m saying, and prove to the public that the Qld Police hierarchy and Qld government have told the truth that what I am saying is wrong. From day 1, I have never knowingly told a lie aka committed perjury or an untruth. I am not scared of the truth nor am I scared of speaking the truth. I challenge you to use your investigative brains to talk to me I am someone you don’t have to be scared of. I know you feel threatened by the non-publication order but I am sure the Coroner didn’t gag anyone from trying to prove me a liar. Prove to me that some media source cares, prove to me that you are not scared to do investigative journalism. My son’s life is worth that much. Isn’t any person’s life worth that much.

Steve Protheroe