A convicted murderer who spent 40 years in jail for a crime he says he didn't commit has been released on parole. Derek Bromley has always maintained he wasn't responsible for the death of Adelaide man Stephen Docoza in 1984.
Category
đș
TVTranscript
00:00Flanked by one of his supporters outside Adelaide's pre-release centre, Derek Bromley was clearly
00:08elated.
00:09Good.
00:10Fantastic.
00:11A taste of freedom after four decades in prison for the 1984 murder of Stephen DeCosa, whose
00:18body was found floating in the River Torrens.
00:22His co-offender, John Carpany, was released on parole 20 years ago after admitting to
00:27the crime.
00:29But Bromley's claims of innocence have kept him behind bars years after his non-parole
00:34period expired.
00:36I've seen him take everything with courage.
00:38I know that when he steps out today, he's a man who is very reasonable, compassionate.
00:46The 68-year-old taking the opportunity to enjoy a first coffee in the community after
00:51his release on parole.
00:53The parole board previously pointing to his good behaviour in prison as one reason for
00:58its decision, his supporters saying he's ready to rejoin the community.
01:04There is a sense of, yeah, there is going to be some opportunity to get on with life.
01:13He's spent more than half his life in custody, reportedly the longest serving Indigenous
01:18prisoner in the country.
01:20There's still a strong belief that he should never have been convicted in the first place.
01:25This is a prime example where Australia needs a criminal cases review commission.
01:33This is where miscarriages of justice can be reviewed.
01:37Stephen D'Cosa's family declined to comment on Bromley's release but said they do want
01:42the public to understand that Stephen was a hardworking, kind and loving man.
01:46The family has previously told the ABC that they remain firmly convinced of Bromley's
01:51guilt.
01:52Bromley will continue to live at the pre-release centre under his parole conditions, which
01:57include a 9pm curfew.