GUILTY Australia - Joan Ryther, 27, pregnant, raped & murdered, Logan, Qld, 21 May 2013

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Anyone know the law on taking an unborn child's life? How old does the foetus need to be before it can be classed as murder? I think he really should face murder on 2 counts - Poor Joan was pregnant, after all!
 
GREAT NEWS!!! I hope it sends a message to all the other potential killers out there that no matter how random, you will NOT get away.

Thinking of Joan's husband and other loved ones who still have a long road to travel in seeing justice for Joan xx
 
Booyah, cops! Good job!

Great news that they've caught the guy. I bet it's a relief for the family, as well as other women in the area that the killer is in custody.

I'm betting his lawyer plays a mental illness angle of some kind..

I hope he rots in jail for the maximum possible sentence. Our sentencing practises are pretty slack and nonsensical, to say the least. Not to mention very much driven by how much media attention/what political agenda is involved, it seems. Since Joan's murder has been fairly well publicised, perhaps we can hope the guy won't walk free in under five years.... :shakehead:
 
Strangeworld said:
Anyone know the law on taking an unborn child's life? How old does the foetus need to be before it can be classed as murder? I think he really should face murder on 2 counts - Poor Joan was pregnant, after all!
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IMO this is another big part of this tragedy.

She was 8 weeks pregnant, and it's legal to have an abortion at that stage. They can't charge him with the murder of the baby without opening up a can of worms regarding the legality of terminating a pregnancy imo.

Viability is at 24 weeks. If you spontaneously lose the baby it's miscarriage before 20 weeks and stillbirth after 20 weeks. She was a long way from viability, which is when I think they would be able to charge him with killing the baby as well (just my opinion). A death certificate is issued if you lose the baby after the 20th week of pregnancy. Joan's little one would have have been granted a death certificate, so I'm not sure how they could legally approach the issue.

I remember a case from a few years ago when a drunk driver caused an accident and a woman who was 38 weeks pregnant lost her baby. It was a huge legal battle because at that time he couldn't be charged with the murder of the baby. I remember being heartbroken for the woman because she couldn't have another baby after the little boy she lost.

Things may have changed legally since then.

I read that Cory and Joan were hoping for a baby girl and they were going to name her Camille.

Editing to add articles from a different case:

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...-to-spark-debate/story-fnet08xa-1226554546945

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-26/new-laws-target-killers-of-unborn-children/3853326
 
Scoobysnack said:
Today is his 18 th birthday, maybe police had this arrest date in mind( adult )
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Interesting - I wonder whether the charge is made for the day of the crime or the day of the arrest?
 
This is great news!
I wonder how they eventually got him?
Nice work Logan Police!
 
halifax6 said:
He is denying it. And he is 19.
http://www.news.com.au/national-new...r-of-joan-ryther/story-fnii5v6w-1226654913835
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I am glad the police have laid charges. I am sure that will help the family and the community in their grief. My sincere condolences to all who are affected by the senseless loss of Joan in such a brutal and random act.

I do have a question. The fact that the person charged hasn't been named because one of the charges against them is rape; is that a law specific to Qld? I don't live in Qld.
 
Seeking, I just found this.

A guide for victims of crime in Queensland


If the crime involved a sexual offence, all information, including photographs gathered during the police investigation is subject to the provisions of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1978. This prohibits the publishing (media or otherwise) of any information that can lead to the identity of a sexual offence victim.
Your confidentiality will be maintained during an investigation and prosecution. Police, court and ODPP staff are all bound by the requirements of the Information and Privacy Act 2009.


http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/__dat.../guide-for-victims-of-crime-in-queensland.pdf
 
Flinders said:
Seeking, I just found this.

A guide for victims of crime in Queensland


If the crime involved a sexual offence, all information, including photographs gathered during the police investigation is subject to the provisions of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1978. This prohibits the publishing (media or otherwise) of any information that can lead to the identity of a sexual offence victim.
Your confidentiality will be maintained during an investigation and prosecution. Police, court and ODPP staff are all bound by the requirements of the Information and Privacy Act 2009.


http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/__dat.../guide-for-victims-of-crime-in-queensland.pdf
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That would make sense. You'd want to protect them from being identified especially to the wider public. I guess there is no exception there saying, "except where the identity of the sexual offense victim has already been disclosed"
 
Susan12 said:
That would make sense. You'd want to protect them from being identified especially to the wider public. I guess there is no exception there saying, "except where the identity of the sexual offense victim has already been disclosed"
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Thanks Flinders and Susan12. That seems to be in contrast to other parts of Australia that have a "name them shame them" type approach. Names are only restricted when the offender is under 18 in these areas. One good thing about not identifying people is that it protects people who have false allegations made about them. The "name them shame them" approach may have some benefits potentially in making people more vigilant in being cautious around people known to have committed rape type offences. It certainly is interesting to reflect on the different ways these things are handled in different areas of the country.
 
Excellent!!! So glad the police are convinced they've got this . One less budding psychopath on the streets.

Interesting the arrest has come less than a day after releasing the CCTV, considering media had yesterday reported police as saying they had no suspects. I think that was likely a deliberate ploy to give their suspect a false sense of security, so they could arrest him in the dead of night.

Maybe Yellow jumper had a description and all detectives needed was a name (very possible the perp was in fact one of the individuals depicted in the cctv images, and the police assurance that all were only potential witnesses was just playing the media, with the intention to encourage anyone who could help identify them to come forward.

It would be poetic justice too if the wallet that was earlier handed to police had jumped out of this 's back pocket while he was hot tailing it away from the scene of the crime.
 
Well done to the Qld police. Wonder if it was the CCTV that identified him.
One day these criminals may wake up and realise "big brother" is watching them.
 
Scoobysnack said:
18! And a stranger( going off reports ) frightening..... What on earth makes a young man feel he can just do this to a young lady going about her oun business .
Awful, however great they have got the suspect .
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I won't be surprised if use of the drug ICE is involved here.

Seems to be a growing link between use of this drug and serious violence. I noticed a case in NSW recently where the accused was trying to use being under the influence of ICE as justification for pleading guilty to manslaughter after brutally stomping his teenage ex girlfriend to death. The jury didn't see it that way thankfully.
 
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