Not sure how coherent this blog will be. I am rarely so angry that I wish death on anyone, but I am raging at the news item that the psycho Clayton Weatherston (my god, I can't even type that beast's name without feeling sick) is appealing his conviction - not the length of the sentence, but the actual conviction. All attempts at a non-emotional blog are out the window. I just can't be calm. I would like to think that his lawyers have advised him to appeal in the secret hope that the sentencing judge will not be Justice Potter, and that the Devil Incarnate (there, that's better) will instead be locked away for even longer than the original sentence.
Or am I being too charitable to his lawyers? Alas, I fear it may be more a case of respecting the rights of murderers over victims.
But I am speculating, particularly given the lack of detail in the news item.
Under what conceivable circumstances could the original conviction be thrown out? Especially as Devil Incarnate took the stand to defend his own actions, never addressed the questions put to him, and prolonged the trial. He spoke for himself. He provided his justification for his actions. He was witnessed committing the murder, and admitted it to the police and in the court. It was heard by a jury, who deliberated, and reached a verdict. I cannot think of ANY reason why it is necessary to appeal this conviction. Other than both he and his lawyers are deluded that he was provoked to manslaughter, rather than premeditated murder.
My heart goes out to her family. My anger with all this is heightened by the Devil Incarnate receiving legal aid for his defence, and Sophie Elliot's family having to remortgage their family home, among other financial burdens that they had to incur to meet their legal expenses. Then the trial was delayed. Then it was shifted to Christchurch.
Enough with their suffering!! Enough with everyone's suffering!! (Except, clearly, Devil Incarnate and his lawyers.) And enough with the legal aid. To appeal is disrespectful to the court, to the jury, to the public who may have to live with him, and to the public who have paid for his legal fees.
I cannot bear to have this drawn out any longer.
I wait with baited breath to see if the Court of Appeal denies him leave to appeal.
If not, I wait with baited breath to see if reports of a bounty on him are true.
3 comments:
To misquote The Bard:
"...first you must kill all the lawyers...."
For some vermin, only a long drop with a short rope will do.
A bit of insider information:
They ALWAYS appeal because a lawyer gets in their ear and convinces them to- not hard to do with lifers.
That little piggie just wants to get into the trough of legal aid that WE pay for.
Money to be had I guess. Who pays; well the tax payer of course.
Better he got strung up.
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