Lorraine Harris

Lorraine Harris was convicted of manslaughter of her child, Patrick, who died on 6 December 1999. Harris claimed that her son became ill and stopped breathing on that day he had received his vaccinations. She had called 999 when he would not wake up. At trial expert evidence was introduced that suggested Patrick had died as the result of a shake that caused bleading around his skull. On appeal new expert evidence was introduced that called this cause of death into question. The conviction was quashed on the basis that the new evidence might reasonably have affected the jury’s decision to convict.

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