Karam to write book on Bain retrial

Joe Karam, the former All Black turned author and tireless campaigner for David Bain, will write a new book on the Bain retrial and its aftermath, HarperCollins Publishers announced today.

Bain was acquitted this month of murdering his family in 1994, in a Christchurch High Court retrial.

Karam spent years pushing for a retrial for Bain, whose 1995 conviction for murdering five family members was quashed by the Privy Council in 2007.

Karam was believed to have spent millions of his own money on legal fees and appeals for Bain.

The new book would be Karam's fourth on the subject, following David and Goliath: The Bain Family Murders in 1997; Bain and Beyond in 2000; and Innocent!: Seven critical flaws in the wrongful conviction of David Bain in 2001.

HarperCollins was "delighted to be involved in documenting and analysing the extraordinary events" of the Bain case, managing director Tony Fisk said.

"Undoubtedly this has been a seminal event in the history of our judicial system, with the significance of what has happened destined to be discussed and debated for many years to come."

The as-yet untitled book would be published in September.

- NZPA