English BOY KILLER ESCAPES DEATH SENTENCE
A SHOCKING VERDICT at the County Courthouse has drawn controversy after a teenage defendant accused of patricide walked free. Martin King, 16, was charged with the stabbing murder of his father, Luther King, in their Harlem flat on Wednesday. Neighbours reported seeing Mr King fleeing the scene after hearing a scream moments earlier. Luther’s body was discovered with a stab wound to the chest on the floor at approximately 9:42 PM. The cause of death was haemorrhaging of the heart and heavy blood loss, according to the coroner. Evidence began building up when two eye witnesses came forward. 51-year-old Queenie Jackson and 73-year-old Benjamin Woodrow both gave testimonies to the night of the murder, which occurred in a slum neighbourhood known for turning out dangerous criminals. Found at the scene of the murder was a 10-inch switchblade, reported to be the exact same make as a weapon owned by Mr King. King claimed the knife fell through a hole in his pocket on the way to the Harlem Street Cinema. King had several convictions prior to the trial. At age 10, he appeared in the Children’s Court for attempting to bludgeon a teacher with a rock. Four years later, he was sentenced to a year in Reform School for grand theft auto. In 1951, he was arrested for mugging. And in recent years, a spate of assault charges has shadowed the troubled youth through adolescence. Police say he is a known knife fighter in the area, and that the murder charge does not come as much of a surprise. All things considered, it was all but certain the jury would turn out a guilty verdict. A statement from one of the jurors, who has chosen to remain anonymous, described the case as a “sure thing”. The juror proceeded to talk about an upcoming baseball game the night of the trial. Another juror added, “Dirty, rotten kids. You work your life out, and for what?” He proceeded to take a deep breath, as if smelling the summer air, then added with a mean-spirited grin, “I can practically smell the sizzling flesh!” Instead, all twelve jurors voted “not guilty” in the final ballot, making the verdict decidedly not guilty. It was indeed a unanimous vote – just not the kind people were expecting. One of the jurors released a more telling statement about the proceedings. “A tragedy,” he lamented, with a sad shake of the head. “An absolute tragedy. I come to America seeking peace and democracy – and instead I find a courtroom seething with prejudice and hate.” “It’s a miracle it didn’t come to blows,” he exclaimed. “Thank God logic and reason prevailed.” The juror proceeds to check an exquisite gold watch. “Ah, it’s time to go home,” he says. “And by home I mean my native Germany. This country’s people are far too – what is the word – bigoted? Yes, too bigoted for my liking.” King will be released from police custody this Thursday. Meanwhile, some are calling for a re-trial, while others suspect leniency due to the boy’s unfortunate upbringing. Judge Alexander Westgate, who presided over the case, declined to offer a statement about the verdict. However, a third juror had this to say about the proceedings: “Boy, I don’t know. It was a tough one. I suppose he could be guilty or not guilty. Say, what do you think of this sketch? It’s part of a promotional ad for Rice Puffs cereal.” The juror proceeds to go into great detail about
his corporate advertising business. “Now on a billboard near you!” he beams proudly. Indeed, we can never know for sure exactly what happened in the courtroom, but from the sounds of it there were twelve very angry men! Sebastian Starcevic - Year 10
MY TOWN IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE
After living in Geelong for 13 years, I feel that Geelong is no doubt a fantastic place to live for kids and adults. Geelong’s lifestyle gives its residents a warm and fuzzy feeling whenever they wake up in the morning.The low crime rate in Geelong combined with the fantastic infrastructure and great location, makes my town somewhere not to miss. The low crime rate in Geelong has been something we have always valued. Statistics state that 98.7% of people in Geelong feel safe walking during the day (Community Indicators Victoria 2011). This number is one of the highest in Victoria! Who wouldn’t love the safety of being a citizen of Geelong? And what sought of person enjoys looking behind there back every few minutes? Our crime rate not only gives our city a sense of kindness and ease, but also encourages our council to build lots of new and needed infrastructure. The City of Greater Geelong has fantastic infrastructure.When it comes to shopping, there’s no need to leave Geelong; the range is a good as anywhere. The size of the retail sector in Geelong is reflected in the $2.4 billion spent annually by Geelong’s residents. The reasonably new Westfield also represents an investment of $200 million and includes more than 170 outlets. But shops aren’t all Geelong has to offer. Our top quality schools offer families a huge range of 58 schools to pick from. Because of this vast amount of choices, there is almost always a school within walking distance. The perfect size of Geelong also means that parents can forget worrying about their children’s safety on the way to and from school; there are roughly 18 times less cars in Geelong than there are in Melbourne (Community Profile 2011)! I strongly believe the best thing about Geelong is its size and location. Geelong’s location makes it so easy for families to get around. Only 20 minutes from anywhere else, for beach lovers, there is always the option of shooting down to world class beaches after school or work.Within the city there are beautiful parks, the botanic gardens, the river and the waterfront. Geelong size also means tourists can see everything in one day. Rather than having to spend multiple days running around Melbourne. Not only is our size convenient, but it also allows people who call Geelong home to have a peaceful night in. Without of course, any of the loud noises and lights that the majority of Melbournians
73
