Letter to Chief Coroner Regarding Interference with Coronial Process - Death of V

Friday, 13^th June

The Honourable Judge Anna Tutton 

Chief Coroner of New Zealand 

National Coronial Services

OfficeoftheChiefCoroner@justice.govt.nz

Tēnā koe Chief Coroner Tutton,

Re: Concerns Regarding Potential Interference with Coronial Process - Death of V

I write to you in my capacity as head of Rights Aotearoa to respectfully bring to your attention our organisation's concerns regarding what we believe may constitute an attempt to improperly influence a coronial process currently before your jurisdiction.

Our concerns relate to the death of V, a transgender man who tragically passed away while in emergency accommodation. We understand this matter is or will be subject to coronial investigation. It is our considered opinion that certain parties have engaged in conduct that may seek to prejudice or interfere with the proper administration of the coronial process through strategic media manipulation.

Nature of Our Concerns

We have formed the opinion that Ms Fern Hickson, spokesperson for an organisation called Resist Gender Education, has orchestrated a media campaign regarding V's death that appears designed to advance a particular narrative before any coronial findings have been made. The evidence supporting this opinion includes Ms Hickson's alleged role in actively promoting this story to media outlets, resulting in its publication by Radio New Zealand on or around 20 May 2024.

The RNZ article, titled "Teenager starves to death alone in emergency accommodation," contains speculative assertions about the circumstances of V's death that, in our view, inappropriately pre-empt the coronial process. Of particular concern is that throughout the article, V is systematically misgendered through the use of incorrect pronouns, denying his identity as a transgender man. This misgendering aligns precisely with the publicly stated ideological position of Resist Gender Education, which fundamentally opposes recognition of transgender identities.

Amplification and International Dissemination

We are deeply concerned that this article has been disseminated far beyond New Zealand's borders through the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The article has been shared by numerous high-profile accounts, including that of Graham Linehan, a British writer known for his anti-transgender activism. This international amplification has transformed what should be a matter for careful coronial investigation into a global cause célèbre for those opposed to transgender rights.

Potential Impacts on Coronial Process

We respectfully submit that this media campaign may impact your investigation in several concerning ways:

1.     The widespread publicity and predetermined narrative may influence potential witnesses who might feel pressured to align their evidence with the publicly promoted storyline. Witnesses may unconsciously adopt the framing presented in these articles, potentially compromising the integrity of their testimony, and

2.     The creation of intense public pressure around this case, particularly from international audiences with strong ideological positions, may create an environment where the coronial process faces external pressures inappropriate to judicial proceedings. The transformation of V's death into an international talking point for anti-transgender activists creates a charged atmosphere that could impact the perceived independence of the coronial process, and

3.     The speculative narrative being promoted appears designed to prejudice public opinion regarding the circumstances of V's death before your investigation can establish the facts through proper judicial process. This premature narrative construction may make it more difficult for the public to accept findings that differ from the predetermined storyline being promoted.

Our Actions

In response to these concerns, Rights Aotearoa has lodged formal complaints with Radio New Zealand, the Broadcasting Standards Authority, and the Human Rights Commission regarding the content of the article and the circumstances surrounding its publication. Our complaint to the Human Rights Commission specifically addresses the discriminatory misgendering of V and the potential influence of anti-transgender activism on RNZ's reporting. Although our complaint to the HRC is legally

Additional Evidence That Has Just Come to Our Attention

Overnight, we were made aware of the existence of up to 6000 messages made by V (also known as Alex) that completely contradict the false narrative advanced in the RNZ article.
We will write a separate letter to the Court with this information and provide you with the contact information for the person who has indicated they have it.

Conclusion

We wish to emphasise that we have complete confidence in the integrity and independence of the coronial process under your leadership. Our purpose in writing is simply to ensure you are aware of what we perceive as attempts to improperly influence these proceedings through strategic media manipulation. If it is within your power, I believe the interests of justice would be served by the Court asking RNZ to delete the article.

We respectfully request that you consider these matters in conducting your investigation into V's death. We believe it is important that the coronial process be protected from external attempts at influence and that V's death be investigated with the dignity, respect, and objectivity that all deceased persons deserve, regardless of their gender identity.

We would be pleased to provide any additional information or documentation that might assist your investigation, including copies of our complaints to other authorities if these would be helpful.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We have every confidence that under your leadership, the coronial process will proceed with appropriate independence and integrity, ensuring that the truth regarding V's death is established through proper judicial process rather than media speculation.

Ngā mihi nui,

Paul Thistoll