Evil Angels (ATOM Study Guide)

Study Notes for the Film

The disappearance of nine-week old Azaria Chamberlain in 1980 was a spark that turned into a wildfire. Fuelled by gossip, prejudice and misinformation, the fire consumed logic, reason and ethics. With no body, no motive, no weapon and no clear evidence, millions of Australians were nevertheless dedicated to the belief that Lindy and Michael Chamberlain had murdered their baby. That this same opinion was reached through our judicial system, with all the checks and balances that apply to criminal law and trial by jury, should have meant that, in the end, justice was served. But well before the end, something went wrong. These Study Notes for the Evil Angels, based on the book by John Bryson, look at some of the issues of this complicated episode of Australian history. The Study Notes are suitable for use by senior students in a variety of curriculum areas such as: media studies, human relations, legal studies, english, social studies.