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I am the mother of Michael Choy

who was brutally beaten and left to die on the road

Election message from Rita Croskery

On 12 September 2001.They say time heals but for me the passing of time has made no difference to easing the pain and anguish of knowing how my son was left to suffer battered, cold, hurt and alone in his last hours of consciousness. I am angry with the perpetrators who ignored his desperate pleas for help instead they continued to cold bloodedly rob him then left him lying there obviously seriously injured.

Ever since my son was murdered my world has crashed around me and I wish it were I, instead of my son lying at the bottom of the grave My heart has been ripped apart and a part of me has died with Michael. I have always thought it would be a parents worst nightmare to loose a child but to loose one in these circumstances is something I can not accept and I will never ever come to terms with the violent way my son died.

Michael was a happy, gentle, caring person who would do his utmost to help someone in need He was a caregiver that was his chosen job, and for something like this to happen to him is the ultimate insult. He has left such a void, not only for me but also for his fiancée' and all our family.

Our family functions, which used to be happy joyful occasions, are now always tinged with sadness, there is always the missing link and instead of celebrating I often feel close to tears. I used to be a strong person emotionally I would never let anyone see me crying now I feel weepy all the time and I have to steel myself and the tension builds.

Outwardly I appear the same but the pain hurt and anger are bubbling under the surface.

The turmoil never ends. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night I see Michael's face and I think of his struggle to get up the hill to his father's house after being assaulted. His battered face haunts me My life has been shattered and will never ever be the same again; it is a continual battle to carry on Words can never express the heartbreak and utter devastation at the way our beloved Michael was taken from us This heinous act has taken a great toll on our families lives in health, emotionally, and in relationships.

Expenses

As a result of this tragedy we missed out on a trip of a lifetime. We have had an extra financial burden. We had to pay approximately $2,000 extra to get back home for changed airfares and other incidental expenses.

The whole family has taken time off work to attend the funeral, court hearings and the trial leading up to several months in all. This amounts to a huge financial loss for our family.

Justice System

The detectives were very obliging they went out of their way to explain and help us. I was disgusted at the disrespectful behavior and appearance of the offenders in a court of law. It was oppressive sitting in the court with the offender's families and at times I was so tense I nearly fainted something I have never done before.

It was tiring sitting through long hours listening to the legal aid lawyers prolonging and wasting tax payers money repeatedly droning on about how good and innocent the young accused were, when in fact we had already seen and heard on tape that they planned. The robbery and were arming themselves and going to put the body in the boot!

If the defense lawyers were not being paid for through legal aid I am sure the time of our case would have been cut in half. It was difficult not to be able to stand up and have say in the proceedings.

It also annoyed me to see the offenders given crayons and paper so they would not get bored and to hear that a TV camera might intimidate them, how can that frighten them when they go out in the night, sit in the dark waiting to attack someone!

I had extreme difficulty trying to access information to attend a Parole Hearing. There were many obstacles put in place to prevent my attending.

At the Parole hearing the Chairman addressed the accused said she might find my presence intimidating. She is the one who was involved in my son's murder, shouldn't I have been asked how I felt about being in the same room as the accused and her whanau.

Why are the feelings of the accused always put before the victim and their families?

A Judge and Jury sat throughout our case and came to a decision that should be final.

I do not think defense lawyers would appeal if legal aid were not so readily available. Why do victims have no say in the appeal case? Why are the accused able to come up for parole before they have served their full sentence?

Parole should not be of right, but may be applied for only after the criminal has served the full sentence .

Why do we the victims, have to relive the horror over and over, time and time again.

Parole before completing a full sentence should be abolished. Age should not make any difference in sentencing, if the young thugs in our case had been dealt with and made accountable for their earlier crimes they may not have escalated to committing acts of violence. Victims and their families should have all costs for travel to attend court and parole hearings reimbursed.

Rita Croskery Mother of Murder Victim Michael Choy.

Election message Audio file (MP3 format) (1.2 Mb) from Rita Croskery