New Zealand: Christchurch mosque murderer appeals life sentence

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Nov 2022 08:29

The gunman who massacred 51 people in two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019, will appeal his conviction and life sentence.

Brenton Tarrant, the gunman who shot and killed worshippers in the Christchurch mosque attacks (REUTERS)

A court official said as quoted by AFP Tuesday that the Australian white supremacist who murdered 51 people in two New Zealand mosques in 2019 will appeal his conviction and life sentence.

Brenton Tarrant, armed with semi-automatic guns, attacked worshippers at two mosques in March 2019, live-streaming the deaths.

All of his victims were Muslims, and they included children, women, and elderly.

Tarrant pled guilty to 51 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a first in New Zealand.

"An appeal against convictions and sentence has been filed," Liz Kennedy, a spokesperson in the Office of the Chief Justice, said Tuesday as quoted by AFP.

Last year, Tarrant's lawyer Tony Ellis said his client had believed "the simplest way out was to plead guilty", which amounted to a plea made under duress. Ellis said, as quoted by AFP, on Tuesday that he had been fired and was unable to talk further on the issue.

During Tarrant's sentencing in August 2020, Judge Cameron Mander stated that he was giving the heaviest possible sentence for his inhuman crimes.

"Your crimes are so wicked, that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation," Mander said at the time.

Following the 17-minute broadcast of the mosque shootings, Facebook says it erased 1.5 million videos showing the terrible viral footage that spread within the first 24 hours.