19 July 2002
Falealii Prime Candidate For Life Means Life
The families of murder victims John Vaughan and Marcus Doig would have a right to feel disappointed with the sentence
handed down to Ese Junior Falealii this morning, says National's Justice spokesperson, Wayne Mapp.
"So too would the hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who wanted tougher sentences for the worst criminals. The
murders committed by Falealii, described in Court today as 'senseless, callous and brutal' make him a prime candidate
for life means life.
"National would put this murderer away for life. Falealii has forfeited his right to be in society and it is clear that
the public must be protected from him.
"Justice Minister, Phil Goff, has consistently argued that there's nothing in his lukewarm Sentencing and Parole Reform
Bill to "stop a judge imposing much longer non-parole periods of 20-40 years". Mr Goff's Bill clearly isn't working when
today Ese Junior Falealii, who brutally murdered two defenceless men, was given a non-parole period of 17-years, nine
months. Where's the justice is that?
"What's truly anomalous is that serial rapists Malcolm Rewa and Joseph Thompson were given minimum non-parole periods of
22 years and 25 years respectively. A double murderer gets 17 years.
"92% of New Zealanders called for tough action against violent criminals, but the Government ignored them. National will
lock up the worst murderers for life and we will ensure that serious violent offenders don't get early parole," says Dr
Mapp.
Ends