Legal News

Fitchett guilty of killing two sons

Note:

· Fitchett 51 years old, Melbourne home in September 2005.

· She was convicted of murdering her two sons

· Had pleaded not guilty to murdering Thomas, 11, and Matthew, 9

· By drugging and then strangling or suffocating them before trying to kill herself

· She admitted the killings but pleaded not guilty

· Murder on the grounds of mental impairment.

· The prosecution argued that Fitchett acted consciously, voluntarily and deliberately when she killed her sons to get back at her husband for a less-than-satisfactory marriage.

· The jury rejected claims by Fitchett’s defence lawyer, Patrick Tehan, QC, that his client was not guilty on the grounds of mental impairment.

· Fitchett was sentenced in 2008 to 24 years, with a minimum of 18 years, in a secure psychiatric facility.

Summary :

Mum who was serving a sentence for a crime of murdering her two sons Thomas, 11, and Matthew, 9 before she was granted a retrial has once again been found guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court.

She confessed the killings by drugging and then strangling or suffocating them before trying to kill herself but she pleaded not guilty to murder on the grounds of mental impairment.

To bring a legal action against Fitchett who was acted consciously, voluntarily and deliberately when she killed her sons to get back at her husband for a unsuccessful marriage.

Prosecutor Gavin Silbert, SC, told the jury that four days before the killings, Fitchett told her husband she was going to leave him and take the boys, but later decided she could not go on as a single parent.

Fitchett was sentenced in 2008 to 24 years, with a minimum of 18 years, in a secure psychiatric facility.

Personal Reflection:

While l was reading this depressing news, still l can’t believe how is a

mother might be so brutal and crucial toward her kids. It is also

surprising me that Fitchett had mental history and how Government

authorized that she has that capability to raise her kids. The Murder of 2

kids might be alarming point for Health department that should really

concentrate on mental family issues that increasing recently.