Racist Australia Needs to Free Megumi Ogawa NOW!

See previous story:

http://japanheo.blogspot.com/search/label/Megumi%20Ogawa

The Brisbane Times carried an article about her appeal:

http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/bum-flashing-lecturer-appeals-conviction-20090924-g480.html

excerpt:

>> In the Brisbane Court of Appeal on Thursday, Ogawa's lawyer Angelo Vasta asked for the contempt convictions to be set aside on the grounds that Ogawa was denied the opportunity to have a proper trial by jury on the contempt charges.

"The failure to allow a jury rather than the judge denied her to say she had an impairment to her mental capacity," Mr Vasta said.

"The question of her behaviour in court should have been tested by a jury under separate proceedings."

Mr Vasta said there was an abundance of evidence indicating Ogawa was "mentally disturbed", including psychiatric assessments.

He is also appealing Ogawa's other convictions, arguing inadmissible and irrelevant evidence given in the trial led to prejudice and a trial miscarriage.

Mr Vasta requested that no retrial be ordered as Ogawa had already served her entire prison sentence for contempt and had only 38 days left to serve on her total sentence.

The court has reserved its decision. < < end of excerpt