Catholic priest wins ‘gay panic defence’ fight
The Queensland government has announced it will make the changes necessary to ensure ‘gay panic’ cannot be raised as a partial defence to murder.
Recommendations to amend the Criminal Code have been made after a petition by a Catholic priest garnered more than 25,000 signatures and international support.
So-called “gay panic” has been invoked by defendants in murder cases trying to downgrade their charge to manslaughter on the basis that the victim had made a gay proposition to them and they lost control of their actions.
Introducing the petition after a man was killed in the grounds of his church, Father Kelly says: “It is simply intolerable that anyone can rely on a defence or an excuse that an alleged homosexual advance could somehow mitigate against violence that leads to death.”
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/12/30/catholic-bishop-petitions-to-remove-australian-gay-panic-defence/
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