There is a chapter covering the controversial counterculture Oz magazine epic court cases in London in the above l998 book by Australian barrister, author, academic and broadcaster, Geoffrey Robertson , spotted in a Douglas Stewart Fine Books, Melbourne , list for $1750.
It is a presentation copy from the author with an inscription on the title page to Felix Dennis ( l947- 2014), Oz magazine editor, publisher and later media tycoon. He and two other co-editors , Richard Neville and Jim Anderson , were charged with conspiracy to corrupt public morals in what was described as the longest and most absurd trial in British history.
Oz was an independently published alternative underground magazine associated with the international counterculture of the l960s.
Oz was first published in Sydney by Richard Neville in l963 and immediately caused an uproar . It tempted fate by running a list of the top 20 criminals in the state and ran a photograph appearing to show men urinating into a P. and O. Shipping Company water fountain opened by the PM .
A London version was started in l967 and became the centre of much controversy. Demonstrations in support of Oz involved John Lennon and Yoko Ono protesting about the prosecution of the Oz editors and coverage of the Northern Ireland conflict.
Barrister and writer John Mortimer ,QC, who created Rumpole of the Bailey series, assisted by Geoffrey Robinson as junior counsel, represented Dennis and Anderson. Neville represented himself.
At the start of the trial in June l971, Mortimer said that " the case stands at the crossroads of our liberty, at the boundaries of our freedom to think and draw and write what we please. "
While the legal battle raged on , Australian journalist Pete Steedman was made managing editor of Oz . Steedman , whose colourful life has been extensively covered in Little Darwin, later became the Labor Member for Casey in the House of Representatives, Canberra.
(OZ. Legal. Bailey.)
