Mark Lundy in the dock during his trial in March 2015. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The family and friends of convicted double-murderer Mark Lundy have said they’re extremely disappointed the Parole Board declined his release from prison this morning.
Lundy appeared before the board for the second time since he was imprisoned 21 years ago for the murder of his wife Christine and 7-year-old daughter Amber. They were found hacked to death in their Palmerston North home.
Police speculate that Lundy used an axe or tomahawk to kill them but the murder weapon was never found.
He’s maintained his innocence throughout his trial, his appeal and retrial in 2015. And he maintained that same innocence in front of the board today.
“I will go to my death bed still saying that I did not kill my family … I cannot lie in that respect,” he said to the board this morning.
It was this denial that in part kept Lundy behind bars today as the board’s chair Sir Ron Young questioned how his safety plan for release could be applicable if Lundy didn’t concede there was any risk in the first place.
Now, his friends and family who run the organisation FACTUAL (For Amber and Christine Truth Uncovered About Lundy’s) have said Lundy has suffered injustice and indignity at being falsely incarcerated.
“Mark has stoically served over 20 years detention with the strength and dignity he was known for in the years prior to his wrongful conviction/s,” they said in a statement.
“Justice Young admitted that denial of guilt is not a requirement for parole approval. To do so would be the ultimate catch-22, potentially forcing the convicted to lie in order to get release. Mark has never lied and never will.
“Not even to gain his freedom.”
The statement goes on to say that since the Privy Council granted Lundy a retrial the evidence presented was “severely flawed” and was novel and inadmissible.
“FACTUAL have been hopeful that the Police would properly reopen the case and seriously look for the true offender that is still at large. Instead, the police have stuck to their guns, re-imagining a second possibility, and presenting even more flawed circumstantial guesses with no actual facts,” the statement says.
“The fight for the truth is far from over. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is still evaluating the strength and safety of the conviction. We are forever hopeful that once again Mark will get the opportunity to profess his innocence and that the Police will be forced to go back to the beginning and properly look at the many unexplained anomalies.”
“We know that if he was permitted Mark would loudly convey his sincere gratitude to family, friends, supporters and legal teams that have stood, and continue to stand by him for so many years.”
Lundy had two support people at the hearing today though the New Zealand Parole Board has a blanket suppression order in place for support persons of inmates appearing before it.
Maria Norrelle - the ex-wife of one of Christine Lundy’s brother - gave evidence at both trials and gave an emailed statement to the Herald today: “Remember that not just one, but two families lost a granddaughter, niece, cousin, a daughter, sister, aunt, sister-in-law and daughter-in-law,” she said.
“That loss has not diminished.”
Norrelle did not want to comment further about Lundy’s parole hearing today.
Police said those involved were known to each other.