A new Netflix documentary, The Investigation Of Lucy Letby, has revealed that some medical experts who initially supported the prosecution now express doubts about her guilt. The film, released on Wednesday, includes Dr Shoo Lee, a Canadian neonatologist, who claims his research was misused to convict the nurse. Letby was sentenced to 15 whole-life terms for murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
The documentary features unprecedented access to Cheshire Police, including footage of Letby's three arrests. However, critics, including Letby's parents, have condemned the use of this footage as intrusive. The film shows Letby breaking down in tears during her first arrest at home, and later being arrested in her dressing gown and nightie at her parents' house.
Key prosecution evidence, such as shift charts linking Letby to 'suspicious incidents' identified by retired paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans, is presented. Evans, who volunteered for the case after reading a Guardian report, produced novel theories about the babies' deaths. However, the film omits context that previous coroner's processes, postmortems, and internal reviews found no evidence of deliberate harm.
Letby's private notes, which included phrases like 'I am evil, I did this,' are also examined. Her lawyer, Mark McDonald, explains that these were written during counselling after she was removed from her job, and that she has never confessed. The documentary highlights growing criticism from British and international medical experts who believe Letby may be the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
