Judy Moran

Judy Moran is the matriarch of the infamous Moran family of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Judy Moran was first married to Leslie 'Johnny' Cole, who was shot dead in Sydney in 1982. Cole was the natural father of her son, Mark Moran, who was murdered in 2000.

Judy Moran was divorced from Cole at the time of his death and had taken up with Lewis Moran. Their son, Jason Moran was murdered in 2003. Judy Moran was estranged from her second husband when he was shot dead in broad daylight in a Melbourne hotel in 2004.

Publications

Just under two weeks after the death of her second husband, Lewis Moran, Judy Moran signed with celebrity agent Harry M. Miller and announced that she was planning to write a book of her experiences, intending to "clear her estranged partner's name."cite news | date = December 15, 2003 | title = Judy Moran signs with agent | work = The Age | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/15/1071336865046.html?from=storyrhs ] The announcement immediately brought criticism: both police and the leader of the Victorian Opposition, Robert Doyle, were reported to be "outraged" at the news,cite news | last = Anderson | first = Paul | coauthors = Connolly, Fiona | date = April 12, 2004 | title = Crime Pays | work = Herald Sun ] and a victims of crimes group called for new legislation to prevent the book from being published.cite news | last = Hart | first = Karen | date = April 13, 2004 | title = Crime mum's book move riles victims | work = Geelong Advertiser ] However, while Victorian law prohibits people convicted of a crime from writing or selling stories about those actions, Judy Moran had never been convicted or charged in relation to her family's activities.cite news | date = April 12, 2004 | title = Judy Moran signs with Harry M Miller | work = Sydney Morning Herald | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/12/1081621867987.html ]

Although the book was delayed in October, 2004,cite news | last = Buttler | first = Mark | date = October 1, 2004 | title = Gangland book delay | work = Herald Sun ] it was released in February, 2005 as "My Story" through Random House, and covered her upbringing in Carlton, the murders of her husbands and two sons, and her relationship with other underworld figures.cite news | date = February 8, 2005 | title = Crime family matriarch defends book | work = The Cairns Post ] Less than a week later, Random House recalled the book from sale and pulped 20,000 copies after it was revealed that the book contained false allegations in regard to a deceased Victorian detective, Fred Silvester.cite news | last = Bachelard | first = Michael | date = February 17, 2005 | title = Slur sees Moran memoir pulped | work = The Australian ] At the time Random House stated that the book would be reprinted without the false allegations, and the book was reprinted and returned to bookstores in May of that year.cite news | date = May 29, 2005 | title = Crime widow faced death threats | work = AAP | url = http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,15445712-1702,00.html ] As of August 2005 over 4500 copies of the book had been sold.cite news | last = Anderson | first = Paul | date = August 12, 2005 | title = Moran bid for crime payout | work = Herald Sun | url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,16231666-2862,00.html ]

In 2007, Moran revealed that she was in the process of writing a second book.cite news | last = Hewitt | first = Sue | date = March 11, 2007 | title = The gang's all here | work = Sunday Herald Sun | url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21358344-2862,00.html ]

References

* [http://www.melbournecrime.bizhosting.com/moran.family.htm Melbourne Crime]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/wa/stories/s1299449.htm My Story memoir]
* [http://bulletin.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=253357 Mama Crass] from "The Bulletin"