Polk: The Trial of Phillip Polkinghorne

When true crime becomes self-promotion

When Pauline Hanna was found hanging in her Remuera home in April 2021, the New Zealand media descended with a fervour that made it hard to tell whether they were reporting on a tragedy or marketing a true crime blockbuster. Her husband, prominent eye-surgeon Phillip Polkinghorne, was instantly cast in the villain’s role. Cameras stalked his property. J…