By JO-MARIE BROWN
A New Zealand woman is furious with Scottish authorities, who have dropped a prosecution over her son's killing but are refusing to tell her why.
Julie Kelley's 23-year-old son, Chris Blair, died from head injuries while on his OE in Glasgow last May after he was badly beaten in an alleyway.
He had previously been thrown out of a nearby pub by an off-duty bouncer, who later handed himself in to police and was charged with Mr Blair's murder.
But Mrs Kelley, who lives in Waikouaiti, north of Dunedin, was later told by Scotland's Crown Office that the charge had been reduced to culpable homicide, the equivalent to manslaughter in New Zealand.
Mrs Kelley was angry at being refused an explanation as to why the charge was reduced, then became distraught when she received a letter saying the charge had been dropped.
"I was totally gutted. It just blew me away. It seemed to me like Chris' life meant nothing."
The letter from the Scottish Procurator Fiscal, dated December 13, 2000, said a full investigation had been carried out by crown counsel.
"I would advise that crown counsel have instructed no further proceedings in the case."
Devastated by the news, Mrs Kelley became more furious as she read on.
"I'm sorry that I cannot provide you with the exact reason for the decision taken in this particular case," the letter read.
"It's a long-standing rule that the prosecutor cannot explain why he had decided not to prosecute and there are sound reasons for that."
Mrs Kelley said the letter went on to list common reasons prosecutions did not proceed, such as insufficient evidence, the incident not being of sufficient importance, or excuses for the behaviour.
"I want to know why they saw fit to drop it because if it was Chris' fault, which I sincerely doubt, I could accept that. But, the fact of the matter is I don't know what happened."
Mrs Kelley understood that police surveillance cameras had taped her son and the bouncer entering the lane where the beating occurred, but investigators refused to tell her whether they entered together or separately.
The content of any statement the 21-year-old bouncer had made to police was also under wraps.
"The victims in Scotland are very much on the periphery. They don't get told anything."
Mrs Kelley's Dunedin lawyer wrote to the Crown Office early this month demanding answers, but has had no reply.
Crown Office spokesman Howard Hart told the Herald he would try to establish what the position regarding the investigation was this week.
Not only does Mrs Kelley want to know why the investigation was dropped, she wants justice for her youngest son.
She said Chris, who had grown up in Auckland but shifted to Dunedin in his mid-teens, was a sociable person who had made dozens of friends during his nine-month stay in Glasgow.
"This [bouncer] has been given a very clear message that he can go out and kill someone and get away with it. I don't think it's unreasonable to demand an explanation."
Dropped charge enrages mother
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