One Split Second: The Death of David Hookes and the Trial of Zdravko Micevic (New South)

One Split Second opens with the sudden and violent death of cricket legend David Hookes outside a Melbourne bayside hotel, late one night in January 2004. From there it surveys all that flowed from that fateful event—the sometimes hysterical reaction of the public and the popular media, and the reaction of friends and family of the two protagonists, Hookes and the man charged with responsibility for his death, Zdravko Micevic. It looks at the 'celebrity-event' funeral at the Adelaide Oval (MCed by the ubiquitous Eddie McGuire), the police investigation of the death, the alcohol-fuelled customs of our elite cricketers—and perhaps of Australia’s sporting culture—and the trial and exoneration of Micevic. It explores the collision of two worlds: that of a favourite Aussie son—and its attendant fame, celebrity and influence—and that of an outsider to the system. In examining these events, One Split Second reveals a lot about Australian society today. Opens With The Sudden Death Of Cricket Legend David Hookes, From There It Surveys All That Flowed From That Fateful Event. Explores The Collision Of Two Worlds, That Of A Favourite Aussie Son, And Its Attendant Fame, And That Of An Outsider To The System. One Split Second -- Time -- The Memorial Service -- Death, Public Grief And Celebrity -- The Trial And The Verdict -- The Media -- Hatred And The Media -- Brian Rolfe -- The Media And Protecting One's Own -- Matthew Ricketson -- Chris Harms -- The Media And Mythology -- Women -- Respect And Decency -- Zdravko Micevic -- Cricket -- Gideon Haigh -- Gerard Healy -- Death And The Ordinary -- Rob Zadow -- Alcohol -- The Supreme Court Of Victoria -- Truth -- The Beaconsfield Hotel -- Robert Cassell -- Sight And Sound -- Sue-anne Hunter -- Terry Cranage -- Christine Padfield -- Greg Shipperd -- Tania Plumpton -- Darren Lehmann -- Roger Sweet -- The Accused -- Wayne Phillips -- Nuts And Amazons. Michelle Schwarz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [231]-234). CONTENTS 5 Preface 7 Acknowledgements 10 One split second 11 Time 13 The memorial service 15 Death, public grief and celebrity 23 The trial and the verdict 35 The media 36 Hatred and the media 39 Brian Rolfe 48 The media and protecting one’s own 56 Matthew Ricketson 66 Chris Harms 68 The media and mythology 72 Women 79 Respect and decency 81 Zdravko Micevic 86 Cricket 94 Gideon Haigh 99 Gerard Healy 105 Death and the ordinary 107 Rob Zadow 111 Alcohol 113 The Supreme Court of Victoria 123 Truth 125 Setting the scene 134 The Beaconsfield Hotel 145 Robert Cassell 150 Sight and sound 156 Sue-Anne Hunter 158 Terry Cranage 164 Christine Padfield 168 Greg Shipperd 171 Tania Plumpton 173 Darren Lehmann 180 Roger Sweet 186 The accused 190 Wayne Phillips 198 Nuts and Amazons 200 Justice Philip Cummins 204 Joseph Robilotta 207 Anthony Perks 211 Closing addresses 215 Middle age and mid-life crisis 220 Race 225 Bleeding in public 228 David Hookes’s body 231 Men in white 237 Reaching the end 239 Notes 241 One Split Second opens with the sudden and violent death of cricket legend David Hookes outside a Melbourne bayside hotel, late one night in January 2004. From there it surveys all that flowed from that fateful event - the sometimes hysterical reaction of the public and the popular media, and the reaction of friends and family of the two protagonists, Hookes and the man charged with responsibility for his death, Zdravko Micevic. It looks at the 'celebrity-event' funeral at the Adelaide Oval (with the ubiquitous Eddie McGuire as master of ceremonies), the police investigation of the death, the alcohol-fuelled customs of our elite cricketers - and perhaps of Australia's sporting culture - and the trial and exoneration of Micevic. It explores the collision of two worlds: that of a favourite Aussie son - and its attendant fame, celebrity and influence - and that of an outsider to the system. In examining these events, One Split Second reveals a lot about Australian society today.