Australian pleads guilty to killing gay American in 1988

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death 35 years ago of an American who fell from a Sydney clifftop that was known as a gay meeting place. Scott White’s admission in court comes after his conviction on murder charges was overturned on appeal. The family of Scott Johnson, a 27-year-old mathematician, had long fought to overturn an initial finding that he had taken his own life. The judge at his previous trial said she did not find beyond reasonable doubt that the murder was a gay hate crime. After the murder conviction was overturned, prosecutors agreed to accept the plea to the lesser crime of manslaughter. White will be sentenced at a later date.