Activist, writer, sex-positive feminist, single mother, sandgroper, grumpy old woman.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Keep the Greenough murderer behind bars!

One night in 1993, William Mitchell once again tried to sleaze onto (his friend) Karen MacKenzie and once again, she knocked him back. So, later that night, he drove out to her home in Greenough Hamlet and hacked her and her three children to death with an axe. He also raped Karen, both before and after he killed her, and sexually assaulted her 7-year-old daughter Amara. We don't know too much about Amara's assault, or exact details of the deaths of the three children (aged 16, 7 and 5), because the evidence was deemed 'too horrific' to be released to the public and, to this day, remains withheld.

After dropping some of the 'minor' charges, as they do, Mitchell was charged with four counts of rape and four counts of murder. In Western Australia, the maximum penalty for raping an adult is 14 years. The maximum penalty for raping a child is (from memory) 20 years. The maximum penalty for murder is also 20 years. Police, judges and the general community consider this crime amongst 'the worst' in Western Australian history. To my mind, one of 'the worst' crimes in history should attract maximum penalties, which in this case should mean a grand total of 148 years behind bars.

William Mitchell got 20 YEARS. That's 5 years in prison for each lost life, and when you take into account the rapes of Karen and Amara, their lives are worth even less.

Mitchell becomes eligible for parole in 2013. He was recently downgraded as a maximum-security prisoner and moved to a medium-security regional prison - a move that generally indicates the person is nearing release. He will only be in his early 40s on release, so he still has plenty of time to start a new life and live happily ever after. Or plenty of time to kill again, as the case may be. Neither outcome is acceptable, as far as I'm concerned.

I am not a supporter of the death penalty under ANY circumstances and, in many cases, I support rehabilitation over long-term imprisonment...but NOT in this case. He drove 25kms to get to her house, stayed for a couple of hours raping and murdering them, washed the murder weapon at the house, then dumped it on the way home, miles from the murder scene. That sounds pretty damn premeditated to me! He then had five weeks to feel guilty and give himself up, but instead filled that time trying to set *others* up for the crime. This piece of excrement should remain behind bars FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE.

I didn't know Karen, but we had a number of mutual friends. During the five weeks between the murders and when Mitchell was captured, he stayed at one of my mates' houses for a week, got drunk with another of my mates and calmly discussed the killings (not admitting any part in them, of course!), then stayed for a few days (and committed a bizarre and scary act) in the town where I live. For those five weeks, the entire Midwest was living in fear - people who normally don't even lock their doors at night were too scared to walk home from the pub, sleep in the house alone, or let their kids walk themselves to school. It shattered our 'innocence' as a country community and made us fearful of each other. To this day, local people still use the Greenough murders as an example of why we shouldn't be complacent and automatically trust our neighbours... and for that, I will never forgive him. A woman and her children were slaughtered and our way of life was killed in the process. Let the f*cking bastard rot, I say.

10 comments:

  1. I agree that bastard should spend the rest of his life in there after wot he did he deserves to suffer please why should he be freed and let live a life get married have a family i think not those poor babies were innocent they dont know such evil and to rape a child omfg that is so sick i cant believe someone could be so evil and as for that poor woman i cant even comprehend that she turned him down and he murdered and raped her low life mutt deserves to be raped and bashed everyday of his prison life

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  2. He threw the weapon into water, the bizarre and scary act was him causing harm to his own private parts and blaming a bunch of "bikies", what about the robberies, the other lady he raped and threaten to kill?? But was released from jail to kill my family! Now in under a year he has the chance to get out, as for Bunbury prison what a joke they are trying to get acceptance for day releases so he can wandering around doing as he pleases, the bastard should be dead

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  3. Hey Anonymous, thanks so much for stopping by.

    (I've edited the bit about the murder weapon - I was writing from memory, but I'm sure you know the facts better than I do!)

    I can't believe they're trying to get him day releases! What the hell?! That is disgusting.

    This case still upsets me after all these years, so I can't even begin to imagine the pain it causes you and your family. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy and know that you're not alone in your fight for justice for Karen and the kids. Let's hope someone sees sense, before they let the bastard out (AGAIN) and he's free to destroy more lives.

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  4. this man should never never be released for the horrific crimes he has committed 3 beautiful children and their mother murdered why/ what you do in this life will come back at you 1000 fold heaven help you

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  5. He should be hanged

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  6. I hope that his parole conditions are so strict that he will always feel like he has nowhere to run/hide>>>>or HARM another living creature>>>AND I hope that the community can have a voice as to where he resides>>>GOD REST KAREN AND HER CHILDREN'S SOULS xxxxxxxxxxxx

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  7. As a father of two great girls myself, this issue really gets to me, and shakes and rattles all my beliefs in the justice system that supposedly protects us.My understanding of the way the judges impart sentences is that they should reflect the society's wish's and expectations, with consideration to rehabbing the guilty.In this case that has failed and its up to the people of W.A TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED FOR THE SINGLE MUM AND HER KIDS WHO NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE.Just what do you have to do in our state to be locked away for ever for the good of the rest.This scum has no rights to join us ever again , no rights to be free , and no right to live among us, that's what the good people of W.A expect and demand of the courts.The sad , sad thing is if there was a rally on the steps of the court tomorrow , how many people out of 1.5 million would honestly turn up, 100,200 maybe.This then sends a message to the judges and the like that as a society we really don't care or hold them to reflect our wishes.And so lean minimum sentencing continues, and we receive the system we deserve.This guy is getting out , make no mistake , and will you ,when tucking your kids into bed, feel you have done enough to speak up for those that have no voice, R.I.P Karen and the kids,

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  8. How pathetic is our justice system. An eye for an eye. He deserves to be hung, but not without going through some pain first. After what he has done does anybody really believe he deserves to be free or for that mater alive. This animal is eligible for parol every three years...What a sick joke. hang him and get rid of this scum forever. Every second he is alive is an insult to this poor family. How piss weak are we

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  9. Would love to chat with family as im a good friend of Danny's heart goes out to the rest of the family for there loss i have been told danny got brought back to lay at rest around ipswich qld but need someone to confirm where as would love to visit him

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  10. bring back the death penalty, I'll hang or shoot him for you.!! Father/Grandfather

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