Additional Coverage:
Kathleen Folbigg’s lawyers have slammed a $1.3 million compensation offer from the New South Wales government as a “moral affront,” calling for an independent review of the decision. Folbigg was wrongfully imprisoned for two decades, convicted of killing her four infant children. The offer, made 19 months after her acquittal, is significantly less than the $6.5 million or more anticipated by legal experts.
Attorney General Michael Daley stated the offer resulted from a “thorough and extensive” review, but declined to elaborate, citing a lack of authorization from Folbigg. Folbigg’s lawyer, Rhanee Rego, argued the sum is “woefully inadequate” and “ethically indefensible,” emphasizing the ongoing trauma Folbigg endures as a result of her ordeal, during which she was labeled Australia’s worst serial killer. Rego called the case “one of the most egregious miscarriages of justice in Australia.”
Rego compared Folbigg’s case to Lindy Chamberlain’s, who received $1.1 million for three years of wrongful imprisonment after being falsely accused of killing her baby. Folbigg spent twice as long in prison, yet received a marginally larger offer. Folbigg’s friend and spokesperson, Tracy Chapman, said the amount would barely cover Folbigg’s expenses and ongoing mental health needs after 20 years of incarceration, sharing Folbigg’s speechless reaction to the offer.