Parliament in the Australian state of Queensland has voted for legislation to remove a controversial “gay panic” defence from the criminal code.<\/p>\n
It had allowed defendants to reduce criminal responsibility by claiming provocation due to an unwanted sexual advance.<\/p>\n
In 2008, it was used as a partial defence to reduce two men’s murder charges to manslaughter.<\/p>\n
The case prompted a campaign for the controversial law to be changed.<\/p>\n
Wayne Ruks was bludgeoned to death in a Maryborough church ground in 2008 by two men after one said he had grabbed his crotch.<\/p>\n
After successfully using section 304 of the Criminal Code [killing on provocation] the two men charged with his murder received lesser jail terms.<\/p>\n
One of his attackers was released after just four years of a nine-year manslaughter sentence.<\/p>\n
Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said: “The passing of this legislation sends an important message that discrimination is not acceptable and that we value the LBGTI community.”<\/p>\n
Wayne Ruks’s mother, Joyce Kujala, said she had waited eight years for the change.<\/p>\n
“It can’t bring Wayne back but it’s some small justice and it could save a lot of lives in future,” she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Source\u00a0 www.bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"