Spaliviero acquitted of soliciting to murder
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday July 11, 2009
CHARLOTTE LINDSTROM was 19 when she arrived in Sydney on a working holiday and fell for a man who was twice her age, drove a Porsche and stashed cash behind his fridge.After he was arrested on drugs charges, Lindstrom was arrested for soliciting a hitman to kill two crown witnesses. She pleaded guilty and is serving three years in a NSW jail.But Steven Spaliviero, her former fiance, was yesterday cleared of all criminal involvement in the plot when a Supreme Court jury found him not guilty of soliciting to murder.He clasped his hands together, bowed his head and murmured "Thank you" as the jury delivered its verdict.Mr Spaliviero's lawyer, Chris Ford, said the verdict proved Lindstrom had acted alone when she organised a hitman to kill two witnesses due to give evidence against Mr Spaliviero in the drugs trial."Although Mr Spaliviero does not agree with or condone Ms Lindstrom's actions, he acknowledges that whatever Ms Lindstrom did was motivated by love," Mr Ford said in a statement.Lindstrom, 24, pleaded guilty and testified against her former fiance in the hope that she would escape a jail term.Lindstrom said she had fallen under the spell of a controlling man. Now 24, she is in protective custody due to threats on her life in prison. The Herald understands she heard about the verdict during a phone call from her mother, Anita, yesterday afternoon.Lindstrom suffers from acute anorexia. Health experts have warned that her condition could be fatal without specialist treatment.Her parents told the Herald they were shocked and surprised by the verdict. "If they are not guilty, why is our daughter in jail?" Mrs Lindstrom said."She should be released immediately and sent to Sweden."We are very concerned about her health condition, which is still critical she is being monitored but not treated."Lindstrom told the jury Mr Spaliviero had asked her to organise the murder of two men.But police learnt of the plot and used an undercover operative to pose as the hitman. He met Lindstrom twice, arresting her the second time.Mr Spaliviero told the jury he only wanted to collect information on the two witnesses to use to damage their credibility, not to murder them. He and two other men were acquitted of conspiracy to murder on Thursday.Last month, the NSW Government refused a request from Sweden to allow Lindstrom to return home and give video evidence from a Stockholm prison amid concerns she could die from her condition.The Swedish Government and her parents will renew the push to have Lindstrom returned to Sweden for medical treatment.The family is considering the legal options.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald