Doug PollardA Licence to Kill
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman - Call him!
By claiming he was 'provoked' by a gay sexual advance, the killer got the charge against him reduced from murder to manslaughter.
190,000 people have now signed this petition here asking for this relic of the past to be abolished.
The Queensland Attorney-General is stalling, saying the government is going to wait until it's "tested again" in another murder trial.
Premier Campbell Newman has been avoiding questions on the issue.
Activist Damien Stevens says "Can you help us get the message through to him by calling his office? It only takes a couple of minutes, and is super easy.
"Just dial 07 3224 4500. When the receptionist answers the phone, politely say: "My name is ______. I'm calling to urge Campbell Newman to eliminate the "gay panic" defence.
"Please leave a phone message for Newman at 07 3224 4500 right away. Thanks for your help xx"
And don't forget to sign the petition.
Current Affairs
Rainbow Reporter
"Queensland Attorney-General, Paul Lucas, has announced that the State Government is set to change the Criminal Code to remove doubts about how and when a partial defence involving a sexual advance can be used and remove doubts about the so-called "gay panic" defence.
Mr Lucas said the Government had received a recommendation from a special committee to consider the matter.
Mr Lucas said the Criminal Code currently contained a partial defence of provocation which could be used to reduce a conviction from murder to manslaughter where a defendant claimed they were provoked into committing the act.
He said members of the community had recently raised concerns that this could be used to establish a so-called "gay-panic defence", where defendant claimed the victim made a homosexual advance towards them and provoked them into committing the act."
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Clearly, given the case I referred to here and which is also referred to in the petition, this defence has been used and is still available.
"Under the state’s provocation laws, the claim of ‘non-violent homosexual advance’ can be used as a defence in murder or assault court cases – potentially reducing a conviction from murder to manslaughter, if an accused person said their victim’s behaviour provoked them into attacking.
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