Lisa Wilkinson (pictured at the airport) tried to clear her name after Logie’s speech
Lisa Wilkinson made two phone calls and sent three emails begging a top prosecutor leading the trial of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rapist to tell the world she had done nothing wrong after her Logies acceptance speech — but he ignored her.
The TV presenter was publicly criticized in June last year after winning the television award for her interview with Ms Higgins on The Project, when the former Liberal staffer first publicly claimed she was raped by Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019.
During her speech, which was broadcast nationally, Wilkinson appeared to side with Ms Higgins, saying she “believed” her accusations and thanked her for coming forward. Mr. Lehrmann has consistently denied any allegations.
The speech was delivered eight days before Mr. Lehrmann’s jury trial in the ACT Supreme Court was due to begin, but the hearing was then moved to October because defense lawyers feared Wilkinson’s comments would bias the jurors.
Wilkinson was widely criticized for being irresponsible over a comment from the presiding judge, who told the court that the journalist had been warned not to make any public comments about the upcoming trial.
However, private emails shown to an investigative committee on Monday revealed that Wilkinson did not believe she had been warned at all, and that ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold said her speech did not jeopardize the case. .
In addition, she was fine with her speech, as she was only warned to ensure she did nothing to jeopardize the trial – as such, she made sure to avoid any reference to the trial itself, Mr Lehrmann, the charges against him or Parliament left out. House.
Shane Drumgold (pictured) was questioned Monday about why he didn’t clear Lisa Wilkinson’s name
An email shown to the inquiry was sent to Mr Drumgold by Channel Ten lawyer Marlia Saunders on 1 December last year – the day before he announced that the case against Mr Lehrmann would be dropped over concerns about Mrs. Higgins’ mental health.
It referred to a conversation Ms Saunders had with the DPP on 24 October about Wilkinson’s speech in Logies.
“We discussed your intention to make a public statement following the completion of the Lehrmann proceedings stating that Ms. Wilkinson has not committed contempt of court and that the DPP does not intend to file a contempt suit,” it read. It.
“I note that you will be making a statement tomorrow at 10:00 am… I request that you consider whether you are also making a statement in relation to Mrs. Wilkinson.
“Ms. Wilkinson is deeply concerned that the injustice she has experienced will be addressed as quickly as possible.”
However, Mr Drumgold told the inquiry on Monday that he did not recall seeing the email or responding to it.
On December 13, Ms. Saunders wrote another email on Wilkinson’s behalf, asking why he still hadn’t cleared her name – despite their two phone calls and two emails after June 22.
Bruce Lehrmann can be seen in the back of the committee of inquiry on Monday
Our client remains extremely concerned about the targeted, widespread and ongoing media reports criticizing her role in the three-month delay in the trial.
She was referring to a Microsoft Teams meeting Wilkinson and her Channel 10 producer had with Mr Drumgold and his junior advisor, Skye Jerome, on June 15 – four days before the Logies.
“Ms. Wilkinson was never warned by you, at your meeting on June 15, 2022 or otherwise, not to give a Logies speech,” the email read.
“The reason Ms. Wilkinson voluntarily raised the issue of the Logies speech with you during your meeting was because she wanted to worry that she wasn’t doing anything that might jeopardize the impending trial.”
On Monday, counsel who assisted the investigation, Erin Lubbermans, mr. Drumgold grilled over whether he had responded to Ms Saunders at all and whether he had properly warned Wilkinson about her Logies speech.
The prosecutor said he thought she was bragging about her nomination and told her to stop.
When Mrs. Longbottom asked why else Wilkinson would have tried to read him her speech, if not to ask if there would be any legal trouble, Mr. Drumgold said, “I don’t know.”
“Honestly, when I heard it, I thought it was Mrs. Wilkinson pointing out she’d like a Logie,” he continued.
Walter Sofronoff, who is leading the investigation, interjected: “You thought she was bragging about her nomination?”
Mr Drumgold replied, ‘From that taste, yes.’
He argued that he “probably” did not respond to Ms Saunders’ email on December 1 because he was concerned about Brittany Higgins’ mental health at the time, and felt the emails did not warrant a response.
When asked why he had never publicly endorsed Wilkinson’s name, he told the inquiry, “I’m not a publicist, I’m the director of the prosecution.”
Brittany Higgins (pictured out of court) alleged that Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House in 2019. He pleaded not guilty
Mr Drumgold then said it was not his responsibility to rectify calls for contempt charges against Wilkinson because the information was not on the public record.
“What you are proposing is that I, as the DPP, should monitor the media and counter false media,” he told the inquiry.
Ms. Lubbermans and retired judge Walter Sofronoff, who is leading the investigation, intervened and said that was not the suggestion at all.
Mr Sofronoff said: ‘[In the email] Ms Saunders says her client believes she has been treated unfairly. You don’t get that every day, do you?’
Mr Drumgold said he did not often receive such emails.
The inquiry, which is the territory’s version of a royal commission, will examine interactions between prosecutors and ACT police in relation to the charge against Mr Lehrmann, and the decisions to proceed with an initial trial and then not proceed with a new process.
Conflict arose between the ACT Police Department and prosecutors over whether it was appropriate for the police to question Ms. Higgins a second time. There was also ‘confusion’ over whether Mr Lehrmann should be charged.
Wilkinson won a Logie award for news and current affairs for her interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project in February 2021, in which the former parliamentary aide first made her allegations of sexual assault against Mr Lehrmann.
The ACT government launched the investigation following allegations by police and prosecutors about each other’s conduct during Mr Lehrmann’s 12-day rape trial.
The investigation will continue on Tuesday.