Double killer exposes folly of parole system – reoffends in 33 days

20th April 2016
In a country that considers itself to be caring and compassionate, the current parole system in New Zealand is not only an absolute disgrace,but it is also barbaric and cruel to victims. McVicar

Just 33 days after the Parole Board said a double killer was ‘not an undue risk to the safety of community’ and released him from prison; one of New Zealand’s most cold-hearted murderers has been recalled.

Leith Ray and his accomplice Gresham Marsh broke into John and Josie Harrisons home in Morrisville and shot Mr Harrison in the back of the head and shot his wife while she lay defenceless in bed. The two then took turns at shooting the couple with the stolen rifle. It was just days after the elderly couple had celebrated 50 years of marriage.

Sensible Sentencing Trust Founder and Spokesman, Garth McVicar said that Ray had made an absolute mockery of the parole system and had pulled the wool over the eyes of the Parole Board.
“This case once again exposes the folly of having a justice system that is excessively focussed on rehabilitation of the offender rather than public safety as its primary objective.”

“Until our law makers acknowledge, and legislation directs, that some criminals are so bad, so evil, that the only way to protect the public from them is to throw away the key, these failures will continue unabated.”

McVicar said that other countries had realised the folly of a system focused unduly on rehabilitation and in a recent case in Seattle the Parole Board actually increased a killer’s sentence by twenty years as they considered he was unsafe to be released.

“In a country that considers itself to be caring and compassionate, the current parole system in New Zealand is not only an absolute disgrace, but it is also barbaric and cruel to victims.”

“Saying that an offender like Ray is ‘not an undue risk’ is ridiculous, SST believes that public safety must be paramount at all times.”

ENDS

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