article: The killer of Daniel Morcombe could get out of prison early due to a email to Queensland's top judge from a child protection worker that a 'smiley face'. Lawyers for Brett Peter Cowan, who was convicted for the murder of 13-year-old schoolboy Daniel Morcombe in 2014, will file an application to have Chief Justice Tim Carmody disqualified from hearing his appeal, citing a potential bias in the case. Cowan received a life sentence for murdering, indecently dealing and dumping the Sunshine Coast teenager's body in 2003. Scroll down for video . Daniel's parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, desperately searched for their son for almost eight years before Cowan's arrest . Daniel Morcombe's killer Brett Peter Cowan mugshot, four months into his prison sentence in July this year . Cowan's barrister, Peter Davis, said Mr Carmody had met with Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnson shared an email, in which she referred to him as 'Tim' and included a smiley face. Mr Davis said Bravehearts' interests were contrary to Cowan's, which created the conflict. 'It's not suggested for a moment that Bravehearts is a dubious organisation, however it's a lobby group and Mr Cowan is someone who has been directly targeted by that very lobby group,' Mr Davis said. Mr Carmody denied he had any sort of relationship with Ms Johnson, and said the meeting was standard practice. 'None of these meetings impede my neutrality or impartial discharge of my judicial function,' he said. 'Ms Johnston and I do not have a relevant, close and continuing relationship that would impact on the impartiality of my decisions or processes.' Director of Public Prosecutions Tony Moynihan said the situation was unprecedented and there should be no "next step" until the application is actually filed. Daniel Morcombe's parents Bruce and Denise arrive at court for their son's killer's appeal on Wednesday . Daniel Morcombe was only 13 when he was abducted and murdered in December 2003, waiting at a bus stop to go Christmas shopping . Cowan's sentence includes a non-parole period of 20 years. When he was convicted, Cowan was found guilty of murder, indecent treatment of a child and interfering with a corpse, after abusing and killing Daniel in an abandoned house after abducting the teen from a Sunshine Coast bus stop. A covert police operation culminated in Cowan's arrest in August 2011, after Cowan unknowingly confessed to Daniel's murder on camera to an undercover detective. The high fences and tough security that keeps high-profile inmates, such as Cowan, locked behind the Wolston Correctional Centre . How Brett Peter Cowan looked - a frail and gaunt figure - before he was locked away in Wolston Correctional Centre . Cowan's defence will now claim that showing his video confession was illegal, with Cowan's lawyer arguing 'they should never have been played to the jury'. Lawyers are also expected to criticise what they say was biased media coverage of the trial. Daniel, 13, was abducted in 2003 on Queensland's Sunshine Coast while waiting for a bus to go Christmas shopping. Daniel's parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, desperately searched for their son for almost eight years before Cowan's arrest. Daniel's parents Bruce and Denise are comfortable with the appeal process as they 'always knew it was going to happen'
highlights: Daniel Morcombe's killer could be freed early because of judge's 'bias'
  Lawyer's for Brett Peter Cowan demand chief justice removed from appeal .
  Claim judge Tim Carmody had a friendship child protection advocate .
  Daniel, 13, went missing in December 2013 after Cowan abducted him .
  Cowan was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in March last year .
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