Trivia quiz breaks Falconio murder court order
Prosecutors are to urge a trivia board game’s distributors not to sell it in northern Australia because one of the game’s questions breaks a court order banning publication of evidence in the Peter Falconio murder case.
A question in the latest edition of the popular Trivial Pursuit game centres on the killing of backpacker Mr Falconio, from West Yorkshire, England, who police say was murdered on an Outback highway in July 2001.
The question mentioned key forensic evidence in the case and could affect continuing proceedings against Bradley Murdoch, charged with Falconio’s murder, said Jane Munday, a spokeswoman for the Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions.
“It is dangerous to use questions on a matter before the courts in games such as this,” she said.
Munday said officials would seek to contact the game’s distributors to ensure it was not sold in the Northern Territory.
Calls to the game’s Australian distributor went unanswered today.
Murdoch, a mechanic, has not yet gone on trial or had to enter a plea.
Evidence against him has been presented at a committal hearing, at which prosecutors outline their case and a magistrate decides if it is strong enough to merit a trial.
The hearing is due to resume on August 9.
