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326 Deception at Work

THE OFF THE RECORD CONVERSATIONS

On 19 September 1981, (that is a year after the interviews set out above), Detective Charlwood
drove Lindy Chamberlain to the police station, following a search of her home. Their conver-
sation – which was supposedly ‘off the record’ was not admitted into evidence at the criminal
trial, but according to the Australian book The Crown Versus Chamberlain by Ken Crispin (p.
84)8 was as in Table 8.4:

Table 8.4 The off the record interview

No. Question or response Comment

Q ‘Did you kill your child?’ Charlwood asked.

1 ‘You’ve asked me before’, Lindy replied. Not a denial

Q ‘I’ve never asked you that before. I’ve asked you if
you knew what happened to her.’

2 Lindy was getting angry. Besides she had been Implies that she was not genuinely

advised by her solicitor that she should not take part angry

in any interview unless he was present. She was

uncertain whether she could answer some questions

without waiving her right to decline to answer others

3 ‘What are the implications if I tell you?’ she asked Fishing question = negotiation =

and then added with a touch of sharpness, ‘You’ve suspect

broken your word before.’

Q ‘What do you mean?’ Charlwood asked.

4 ‘Last time we spoke like this, it was about hypnotism. She had refused to submit to an
Then you got to the inquest and threw it up at me. examination under hypnosis
What guarantees have I got that you won’t throw
this up at me in court?’

Q ‘It depends on your answer,’ Charlwood This was effectively a caution
responded candidly.

5 ‘You don’t think if I did, I could have carried out this Again no denial. Note ‘this charade’

charade all this time?’ indicating that her present action was

a charade

Q ‘You are selling yourself short.’ This was a very bad response = non
empathetic. He should have adopted
the role of a Nurturing Parent …

6 ‘Oh, come on!’ Lindy snorted. ‘You are crediting me Fishing question for flattery?
with the brains to commit the perfect murder and get
away with it.’

Q ‘I mean it’, Charlwood said. ‘You are an intelligent The response was a sort of flattery, but

woman. Don’t sell yourself short.’ inappropriate

7 ‘Ask my friends. They’ll tell you I can’t tell lies.’ Referral and therefore suspect

8 The Crown versus Chamberlain 1980–1987, Ken Crispin, Albatross Books Pty