Families Of Murder Victims Protest Suppression Laws

The Press is carrying a story today about the families of murder victims asking for changes to suppression laws and protesting a failed justice system that they say puts the interests of the criminal above those of the victims:

"Families of murder victims have made a plea for changes to suppression laws"

"They gathered outside the Christchurch District Court yesterday to support the Sensible Sentencing Trust's call for the names and criminal history of those accused of murder to be made public. "We're making a statement that the law isn't working. The law needs to be changed. There's no doubt the system has failed," trust spokesman Garth McVicar said.

Nick Donald, cousin of Marie Davis who was murdered by convicted rapist Dean Cameron in 2008, said the justice system was geared towards the criminal and victims were forgotten.

Donald said suppression laws were "a joke" and the public "should be able to look up who it was and see their past records".

"In our case, the jury was told Marie committed suicide by walking into the river on her own. Why should we not be able to bring up that Dean Cameron is a rapist and has that tendency to do what he did?"

Donald said that while the three-strikes policy would be an improvement, he wished there were harsher penalties "then Marie could still be alive today".

"If someone doesn't stand up and make some noise, then nothing will change," he said. "

For posts about name suppression issues in NZ click HERE
For posts about Marie Davis click HERE
For posts about murders in New Zealand click HERE

Today's posts - click here