Joe Karam
Encyclopedia
Joseph Francis "Joe" Karam (born 21 November 1951) is a former New Zealand
representative rugby football
er, an entrepreneur and a campaigner for acquitted murder accused David Bain
.
to a Lebanese father and Irish mother. He grew up on the family farm near Raurimu and attended St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
.
team, the All Blacks
.
, signing a three year deal with the Glenora Bears
in the Auckland Rugby League
competition. He scored 160 points for the Bears in 1976, winning the Painter Rosebowl Trophy as top point scorer. He again won the trophy in 1977.
Karam was selected for Auckland
almost immediately, playing in six games in 1976 and scoring 53 points. This including playing in Auckland's 17-7 defeat of New South Wales City. He played in one game for Auckland in 1977, kicking six goals.
However, by the final year of his contract Karam couldn't break into the Glenora side, being succeeded by Warwick Freeman. He reportedly found the tackling work rate to be far more demanding than in rugby union.
. He helped fund Bain's appeals against his convictions for the murder of the five members of his immediate family, including his successful Privy Council
appeal in 2007. Bain was required to stay with Karam during his bail period and on 5 June 2009 was acquitted on all charges at his retrial for the murders. His strong support and the financial burden that had to follow was highly influential in the eventual and emmenent freedom achieved by Bain's defence team, Matthew Karam, Helen Cull (QC), Paul Morton, and leading defence lawyer (QC) Michael Reid. In the nearly two years between the quashing of Bain's convictions and the retrial, Karam worked as a researcher and investigator for Bain's legal team, being paid $75 an hour initially and then $95 an hour, and billing 70 to 80 hours a week, adding up to $330,000 from legal aid money from a fund paid by taxpayers. His son, Matthew, was also being paid $120 an hour.
It is "revealed in his 1996 book David and Goliath that he and Bain had agreed they would share profits from the rights to any books, magazine articles "and the like"."
"If that deal still stands, that means a cut for Karam from any future books Bain may write, any possible movie rights and interview deals.
Karam last week refused to comment on the status of the arrangement when asked by the Sunday Star-Times if there were any deals in the offing. But a book publisher and the magazines have been calling."
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
representative rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
er, an entrepreneur and a campaigner for acquitted murder accused David Bain
David Bain
David Cullen Bain is a New Zealander who featured in one of the country's most notable murder cases. He was convicted in May 1995 of the murders of his parents and siblings in Dunedin on 20 June 1994...
.
Early life
Karam was born in TaumarunuiTaumarunui
Taumarunui is a town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on State Highway 4 and the North Island Main Trunk Railway....
to a Lebanese father and Irish mother. He grew up on the family farm near Raurimu and attended St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St. Patrick's College, Silverstream
St Patrick's College is an Integrated Catholic boys' day and boarding Secondary School located in Silverstream, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It was established by the Society of Mary in 1931 when the original St Patrick's College, Wellington was intended to be moved to a larger site more suited to a...
.
Rugby union career
Karam played 10 test matches for the national rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
.
Rugby league career
In 1976 Karam switched codes to rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, signing a three year deal with the Glenora Bears
Glenora Bears
The Glenora Bears are a rugby league football club based in Glen Eden, New Zealand who compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition. The club was established in 1931...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition. He scored 160 points for the Bears in 1976, winning the Painter Rosebowl Trophy as top point scorer. He again won the trophy in 1977.
Karam was selected for Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
almost immediately, playing in six games in 1976 and scoring 53 points. This including playing in Auckland's 17-7 defeat of New South Wales City. He played in one game for Auckland in 1977, kicking six goals.
However, by the final year of his contract Karam couldn't break into the Glenora side, being succeeded by Warwick Freeman. He reportedly found the tackling work rate to be far more demanding than in rugby union.
David Bain
Karam is known for his strong support of David BainDavid Bain
David Cullen Bain is a New Zealander who featured in one of the country's most notable murder cases. He was convicted in May 1995 of the murders of his parents and siblings in Dunedin on 20 June 1994...
. He helped fund Bain's appeals against his convictions for the murder of the five members of his immediate family, including his successful Privy Council
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
appeal in 2007. Bain was required to stay with Karam during his bail period and on 5 June 2009 was acquitted on all charges at his retrial for the murders. His strong support and the financial burden that had to follow was highly influential in the eventual and emmenent freedom achieved by Bain's defence team, Matthew Karam, Helen Cull (QC), Paul Morton, and leading defence lawyer (QC) Michael Reid. In the nearly two years between the quashing of Bain's convictions and the retrial, Karam worked as a researcher and investigator for Bain's legal team, being paid $75 an hour initially and then $95 an hour, and billing 70 to 80 hours a week, adding up to $330,000 from legal aid money from a fund paid by taxpayers. His son, Matthew, was also being paid $120 an hour.
It is "revealed in his 1996 book David and Goliath that he and Bain had agreed they would share profits from the rights to any books, magazine articles "and the like"."
"If that deal still stands, that means a cut for Karam from any future books Bain may write, any possible movie rights and interview deals.
Karam last week refused to comment on the status of the arrangement when asked by the Sunday Star-Times if there were any deals in the offing. But a book publisher and the magazines have been calling."
Publications
- David and Goliath: the Bain family murders (Auckland: Reed, 1997) ISBN 0-7900-0564-6
- Bain and Beyond (Auckland: Reed, 2000) ISBN 0-7900-0747-9
- Innocent!: seven critical flaws in the wrongful conviction of David Bain (Auckland: Pohutakawa Productions, 2001) ISBN 0473078740