Dad’s bid to free murder charge son Jock Palfreeman
Charles Miranda
The Daily Telegraph
July 8, 2008A SYDNEY doctor will make a desperate bid to free his son from a possible life sentence in a Bulgarian jail by acting as a cross-examining de facto lawyer.
Dr Simon Palfreeman has watched from the public gallery as a court in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia raised the prospect of a life sentence for his son Jock for allegedly stabbing to death a student and wounding another.
However, the Sydney pathologist has been granted special dispensation to sit at the front bench today and assist defence lawyers in cross examining witnesses.
The move comes as doubts have been raised about what happened on the night of December 28 last year and the father-and-son team push for a self-defence plea.
Jock Palfreeman, a 21-year-old former St Ignatius College, Riverview, student, has been charged with the murder of Andrei Monov and wounding of Antoan Zahariev in a bloody brawl.
Palfreeman claimed he was going to the aid of a gypsy when he was set upon and had to defend himself against “drunken football hooligans”.
There is now evidence there had been a verbal argument between the group of university students and two locals.
It only lasted a few moments with the two fleeing the scene when they realised the group was up to 25 strong.
The group continued walking toward a nightclub when Palfreeman suddenly appeared allegedly waving a knife and yelling, “no to fascism, no to racism”.
Mr Zahariev gave evidence that the group tried to run from the man wielding the knife but he could not escape. He said he recalled bleeding on the ground with Palfreeman standing over him with the knife.
“I am 100 per cent sure that the guy that made the stabbing is the defendant,” he said.
When asked how he could be sure, he replied: “Just looking him in the eyes I am sure.”
Another witness, Tony Yordanov, claimed he heard the knife-wielding Palfreeman yelling in Bulgarian “aide, aide” – which means “come on” – in a challenging manner.
See also…
Jock Palfreeman in court (May 2, 2008)
Jock Palfreeman : Update (February 26, 2008)
‘Murder accused has star status’ (Er… Marnie? Um…) (January 20, 2008)
Palfreeman not scared, did duty (says Mister Miranda) (January 7, 2008)
Happy New Year, Suckers! // Justice 4 Jock (January 1, 2008)