Australian pleads guilty to killing gay American in 1988

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of an American who fell to his death 35 years ago from a Sydney clifftop that was known as a gay meeting place. Scott White’s admission in court Thursday comes after his murder conviction was overturned on appeal. The family of 27-year-old mathematician Scott Johnson long fought to overturn an initial finding that he had taken his own life. The judge at his previous trial did not find he was killed in a gay hate crime, which could have brought a longer sentence. 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.