Wife Still In Dark On How Judge Died
Sydney (Australia):
The mysterious death of a Federal Court judge last month is still up to six months away from being explained, police have told his widow.Federal Court judge Graham Hill, 66, one of the most respected tax experts in the nation, died in mysterious circumstances, alone in his house in the inner Sydney suburb of Glebe on the night of August 23.
His wife of 40 years, Ute Hill, said it was "ridiculous" that the police could not yet tell her why or how her husband died. "I was shocked when I found out that he was dead. I still can't believe he is not here," Mrs Hill told The Weekend Australian yesterday. "I'm still waiting for the (police and coroner's) report.
The detectives who are handling the investigation have told me that it will take three to six months before they can complete the report. They said forensic experts are testing each organ. "The police indicated there may have been some kind of accident, but they won't say what. "The only thing I have been told was from the coroner, who said there may have been an underlying heart condition." The Weekend Australian understands the primary cause of death was asphyxiation, leading to rumours that have swept the legal profession. The most persistent rumours involve auto-erotic asphyxiation and suicide. However, there was no suicide note and suicide seems most unlikely, even to his wife. More than 12 years ago, Hill decided to buy a house in Glebe and live separately from his wife. "There have been rumours that we were separated, but we weren't," Mrs Hill said.
"I guess I would have liked him to be a little closer, but separate houses worked well for us. I am a psychologist and do a lot of work from home, while Graham liked inner-city life. The Glebe house was quiet and he could do his judgments in peace - he was never late with his judgments. "The Glebe house was also so central. He often walked to work and Sydney University (where he lectured in tax law) was just up the road." "We were not separated - we were very much married. He would phone every day and he would come here (to their family home in Killara) most weekends.
"He was not depressed. I am a trained psychologist and I would have noticed it. "He was happy and even making plans to go back and practise as a barrister when he retired as a judge (which he had to at 70 years of age, under federal legislation). He wanted to go back to the bar. He did not want to retire. He loved law; he was energised by it." Mrs Hill said a neighbour saw her husband at the nearby Sydney Fish Markets at lunchtime on the last day of his life.
The explanation for his death may be simple, but, while authorities continue to be secretive about it, there will be increasing speculation.
Sept 24, 2005
Ron Hicks, Australian, Australia
Sydney (Australia):The mysterious death of a Federal Court judge last month is still up to six months away from being explained, police have told his widow.Federal Court judge Graham Hill, 66, one of the most respected tax experts in the nation, died in mysterious circumstances, alone in his house in the inner Sydney suburb of Glebe on the night of August 23.
His wife of 40 years, Ute Hill, said it was "ridiculous" that the police could not yet tell her why or how her husband died. "I was shocked when I found out that he was dead. I still can't believe he is not here," Mrs Hill told The Weekend Australian yesterday. "I'm still waiting for the (police and coroner's) report.
The detectives who are handling the investigation have told me that it will take three to six months before they can complete the report. They said forensic experts are testing each organ. "The police indicated there may have been some kind of accident, but they won't say what. "The only thing I have been told was from the coroner, who said there may have been an underlying heart condition." The Weekend Australian understands the primary cause of death was asphyxiation, leading to rumours that have swept the legal profession. The most persistent rumours involve auto-erotic asphyxiation and suicide. However, there was no suicide note and suicide seems most unlikely, even to his wife. More than 12 years ago, Hill decided to buy a house in Glebe and live separately from his wife. "There have been rumours that we were separated, but we weren't," Mrs Hill said.
"I guess I would have liked him to be a little closer, but separate houses worked well for us. I am a psychologist and do a lot of work from home, while Graham liked inner-city life. The Glebe house was quiet and he could do his judgments in peace - he was never late with his judgments. "The Glebe house was also so central. He often walked to work and Sydney University (where he lectured in tax law) was just up the road." "We were not separated - we were very much married. He would phone every day and he would come here (to their family home in Killara) most weekends.
"He was not depressed. I am a trained psychologist and I would have noticed it. "He was happy and even making plans to go back and practise as a barrister when he retired as a judge (which he had to at 70 years of age, under federal legislation). He wanted to go back to the bar. He did not want to retire. He loved law; he was energised by it." Mrs Hill said a neighbour saw her husband at the nearby Sydney Fish Markets at lunchtime on the last day of his life.
The explanation for his death may be simple, but, while authorities continue to be secretive about it, there will be increasing speculation.
Sept 24, 2005
Ron Hicks, Australian, Australia
