The provocation defence is an outdated and inappropriate defence which allows killers to claim that their victim had provoked them to commit murder. If successful in such a defence, a killer can be convicted of manslaughter as opposed to murder. Essentially, it rewards lack of self-control by enabling an intentional killing to be categorized as something other than murder. In New Zealand in 2008, a murder trial would cause moral outrage when a shameless killer would desperately attempt to besmirch his victim’s name with said defence. The killer’s actions in the aftermath of the murder would eventually lead to the demise of the archaic defence.
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Audio Sources:
“Weatherston Asked about Mutilation”
“Sophie Elliot Spoke of how Waterston Wanted Her Dead”
“Weatherston Takes the Stand at Murder Trial”
“Sophie was Dead, Clayton was Still Stabbing Her”
“Clayton Weatherston tries to paint picture of Elliott as ‘psycho girlfriend'”
“Lesley Elliott – National Rural Health Conference”
Sources:
The Press, 11 January, 2008 – “Life of Promise Cut short”
The Press, 12 January, 2008 – “Dunedin Woman’s Death Confirmed as Stabbing”
Sunday Star Times, 13 January, 2008 – “Murder Victim Trapped in her Safe Haven”
The Press, 16 January, 2008 – “Laughter, Tears at Moving Farewell”
The Press, 18 January, 2008 – “Victim was Accused’s Student”
Sunday Star Times, 20 January, 2008 – “An Open Book”
Otago Daily Times, 8 March, 2008 – “Prize in Honour of Sophie”
Otago Daily Times, 9 May, 2008 – “Sophie’s Brother to Accept Her Degree in Rare Honour”
Deutsch Press-Agentur, 26 May, 2008 – “Mother Tells Court She Saw Daughter Stabbed”
Otago Daily Times, 28 May, 2008 – “Mother Tells of Stabbing”
Otago Daily Times, 28 May, 2008 – “Weatherston Told Elliot He Wished She Was Dead”
The Press, 28 May, 2008 – “Weatherston Not Himself”
The Press, 29 May, 2008 – “Friend Tells of Slain Graduate’s Last Text”
Otago Daily Times, 30 May, 2008 – “Tearful Friend Tells of Sophie’s Last Days”
Otago Daily Times, 30 May, 2008 – “Weatherston Called Elliott his Psycho Girlfriend”
Otago Daily Times, 30 May, 2008 – “Lecturer Committed for Trial”
Sunday Star Times, 1 February, 2009 – “Sophie’s Family in Despair”
Otago Daily Times, 24 June, 2009 – “Weatherston Admits Manslaughter”
Otago Daily Times, 25 June, 2009 – “Elliot Disfigured by Wounds”
Otago Daily Times, 25 June, 2009 – “Weatherston Lost Power of Self Control”
The Press, 25 June, 2009 – “Cold Blooded or Provoked?”
Otago Daily Times, 26 June, 2009 – “Mother Describes Death Scene”
Otago Daily Times, 26 June, 2009 – “Elliott, Weatherston Relationship Unstable”
The Press, 26 June, 2009 – “She Was Dead White”
Otago Daily Times, 29 June, 2009 – “Weatherston Told Colleague Bad Relationship was Over”
Otago Daily Times, 30 June, 2009 – “Friend Was Scared for Sophie”
The Press, 30 June 2009 – “Killing Followed Breakup”
Otago Daily Times, 1 July, 2009 – “Weatherston’s Psycho Girlfriend”
The Press, 1 July, 2009 – “Earlier Act of Violence”
Otago Daily Times, 2 July, 2009 – “Weatherston Obsessed with Sophie”
Otago Daily Times, 3 July, 2009 – “Weatherston’s Ex-Girlfriend Shocked by Death”
The Press, 4 July, 2009 – “Officer Tells Court: I Found Scissors, Knife, and Blood”
Otago Daily Times, 7 July, 2009 – “Blood Shows Sophie Dragged”
Otago Daily Times, 7 July, 2009 – “Officer Describes Bloodied Bedroom”
The Press, 7 July, 2009 – “Elliott Fought for her Life”
Otago Daily Times, 9 July, 2009 – “Accused Tells of Insecurities”
Otago Daily Times, 10 July, 2009 – “Admitted Kicking Ex-Girlfriend”
The Press, 11 July, 2009 – “Weatherston Told to Avoid Elliott”
Otago Daily Times, 12 July, 2009 – “Academic Denies Maligning Victim”
Otago Daily Times, 13 July, 2009 – “Weatherston Details R18 Comments”
Otago Daily Times, 14 July, 2009 – “Sophie’s Beauty not Targeted”
The Press, 14 July, 2009 – “Weatherston Says Recall of Stabbing Poor”
Otago Daily Times, 15 July, 2009 – “Accused of Shifting the Blame”
The Press, 15 July, 2009 – “Elliott’s Diary Tells of Earlier Troubles”
Otago Daily Times, 17 July, 2009 – “Weatheston Lacked Empathy or Remorse”
Otago Daily Times, 21 July, 2009 – “Elliott’s Father Walks Out”
Otago Daily Times, 22 July, 2009 – “Jury Told to Weigh Evidence Clinically”
Otago Daily Times, 22 July, 2009 – “Women’s Refuge Outraged by Trial”
Otago Daily Times, 23 July, 2009 – “Trial Brought Back Horror For Elliotts”
Deutsch Press-Agentur, 15 September, 2009 – “Man Who Stabbed Girlfriend 216 Times Jailed for 18 Years”
Otago Daily News, 15 September, 2009 – “Weatherston Apologises”
Otago Daily Times, 16 September, 2009 – “Mum Hopes Screams of Agony Ring in Weatherston’s Ears”
