whodunit? the chamberlain story

By 719073
  • Azaria disappears

    Azaria disappears

    Azaria Chamberlain disappears from camp site at Ayers Rock.

  • Azaria's clothing found

    Azaria's clothing is found at the base of the rock about 4km away from the camp site, near some digo lairs.

  • Coroner Dennis Barritt rules that a dingo took Azaria

    15th dec- 20th dec 1980: Coroner Dennis Barrit rules that a dingo took Azaria, but there had been intervention by unknown humans disposing of the body.

  • Renewal of police ivestigations

    N.T. Cheif Minister orders the renewal of police investigations after hearing that a British expert believed from from study of Azaris'a jumpsuit that her throat had been cut.

  • Mrs chamberlain commited for trial of murder and Mr Chamberlain for being an accessory

    14th dec 1981-2 feb 1982: new Coroner's inquiry before Coroner Gerry Galvin. Mrs Chamberlain commited for trial for murder, and Mr Chamberlain for being an accessory after the fact. Bother realeased on bail

  • Trials of the chamberlains in the N.T.

    Trial of the chamberlains in the N.T. Supreme court at Darwin (transferred from Alice Spring for fear of not being able to find an unbiased jury)

  • Mrs Chamberlain found guilty

    Mrs Chamberlain found guilty by the jury and sentenced to life imprisonment; Mr Chamberlain also found guilty and given a suspended 18 month sentence.

  • Leave to appeal to federal court refused

    Leave to appeal to the federal Court refused. The Chaimberlains seek to leav to appeal to the high court. Mrs chamberlain returned to Berrimah jail in Darwin.

  • high Court confirms the conviction 3:2.

  • Azaria'a jacket found

    A baby;s jacket, identified as A zaria's, discovered at the base of Ayers Rock near previously unknown dingo lairs

  • Realese of Mrs chamberlain

    N.T. Government release Mrs chamberlain and announce a Royal Commission into the case- though whatever the findings she will not be returned to jail

  • N.T. Government announces that the Chamberlains are pardoned

  • N.T. Supreme court reviews the case and declares the conviction quashed

  • N.T. Government and the chaimberlains fail to come to any agreement over compensation.

  • compensation

    Chamberlains were awarded AU$1.3 million in compensation for wrongful imprisonment, a sum that covered approximately one of their legal expenses.

  • Third inquest before Corner John Lowndes finds that Azaria died at Ayes rock

    Third inquest before Corner John Lowndes finds that 'Azaria Chantel Loren Chamberlain died at Ayers Rock on 17 august 1980. As to the cause of her death and the manner in wich she died the evidence adduced does not enable me to say. I therefore return an open finding and record the cause and manner of death is unknown.'

  • Chamberlains write to the N.T. government

    The chamberlains write to the NT government requesting a new inquiry that will officially state "the death of Azaria was due to a dongo".