Homicide families want seven years to claim

ellen rowe

MORE TIME: Families of victims of homicide  such as Yalgoo farmer Ellen Rowe, whose husband Bill was bashed to death with a cricket bat, want seven years to lodge compensation claims, not three. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

bill rowe

VICTIM: Yalgoo farmer Bill Rowe, bashed to death with a cricket bat on a Geraldton beach on Christmas Day, 2007.  Source: PerthNow

FAMILIES of murder victims should be able to apply for compensation for up to seven years after the loss of a loved one, says WA's Homicide Victims Support Group.

Extending the deadline from three years is one of several demands put by the group to key politicians on the eve of the state election.

It claims current legal processes are also "too firmly focused on the rights of alleged perpetrators."

Group convenor Ellen Rowe, whose husband Bill was bashed to death with a cricket at a Geraldton beach in 2007, said they had submitted several ideas to redress the imbalance.

"Giving the victim a face at legal proceedings by displaying their photograph would be a good start, as well as recognising the trauma and cost that surviving family members go through,'' Ms Rowe said this week.

She said the maximum compensation a family can get following the murder of a loved-one was just $ 75,000.


"I never realised how sick the system was until I was dragged into it," she said.

"If you drag your broken leg across the street, people would make way and assist (you), but if a person walks around with a broken head, no one can see it and there is no understanding.

"But it's not all about the money and redress...the pain doesn't subside and the true cost of trauma is enormous."

A letter outlining the group's ideas was sent to numerous lawmakers last week including Premier Colin Barnett, Attorney General Michael Mischin and Shadow Attorney General John Quigley.

The group says it supports the idea of a Victims of Crime Commissioner who will "champion the interests'' of victims across government. The move has been promised by the Liberal Party.

However, the group was recently denied State Government funding of $ 115,000, a move it described as "another kick in the guts."

Attorney General Michael Mischin confirmed criminal injuries compensation applications must be made within three years of the date on which an offence is committed.

"However, the assessor of criminal injuries compensation may allow a compensation application to be made after three years if the assessor thinks it just to do so," Mr Mischin said.

"I am not aware of this having caused any difficulties or injustices, but if they can be pointed out, I would consider reviewing the time limit."

Mr Quigley said if elected, Labor will install a Victims Rights Commissioner. "The commissioner will support victims families through compensation applications and as victims and their families endure the justice process," he said.

Read More @ Source



Criminal Stories Here

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homicide victim found at vacant Everett house

Image
EVERETT -- Police on Wednesday were canvassing the View Ridge-Madison neighborhood in Everett after a man was found dead there the night before. A neighbor spotted the man on the ground outside a vacant house at 22 Madison St. He called 911 about 6:20 p.m. The man had obvious signs of trauma to his torso, police said. He looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s. The Everett Major Crimes Unit is investigating the death as a homicide, Lt. Robert Goetz said. Detectives declined to say more about how they believe the man may have died. There are no identified suspects or motives. Detectives received a search warrant around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday and collected evidence at the scene. They returned Wednesday afternoon to look for clues in the daylight, Goetz said. The victim's identity had not been determined as of late Wednesday afternoon. The body was turned over to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office. Anyone with information is asked to call 425-257-8450. Rikki King: 425-
Keep reading

Manslaughter charges possible in boy's death

Image
Published: Thursday, August 23, 2012, 5:55 p.m. MONROE -- Detectives believe a 7-year-old Monroe boy's parents should face second-degree manslaughter charges in connection with his January overdose death. Monroe police this week wrapped up their probe into the boy's Jan. 30 death and forwarded the case to prosecutors to decide if his parents should face criminal charges. Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Lisa Paul likely will begin reviewing the case in the coming days. She doesn't expect to make a charging decision in the near future, however. "It's quite an extensive investigation, and I want to review it thoroughly before I make any decision," she said. The boy, identified as "A.J." in court papers, ingested a lethal amount of salicylates, a chemical common in aspirin and other over-the-counter drugs. The medical examiner declined to conduct an autopsy on the boy, making it difficult to determine how the drug ended up in the boy's system. A
Keep reading