Dad sentenced to 7 years for death of 5-week-old son; media blames "stormy relationship" (Taupo, New Zealand)

The mother has a right to be frustrated with the wrist slap administered to dad ADAM CHRISTOPHER LOCK, who has been convicted of manslaughter in the death of their 5-month-old son. But in most areas of the world, this kind of sentence (7 years, 2 months) is pretty typical.

The media bias in this article is especially noteworthy. Notice how the responsibility is subtly shifted away from killer daddy, as we blame a "stormy relationship" or "violence towards each other" for all the problems. But read carefully. Daddy is the one with the criminal record. Daddy is the one with the substance abuse issues. Nothing is listed for the mother. All the abusive incidences listed involve the father exercising coercive control and/or violence towards the mother. Including an assault while she was pregnant and shortly thereafter. If this is a mutually combative couple, then what did Mom do? Oh, you don't have any examples then? Then calling them mutually combative isn't substantiated by your own evidence, is it? And just who is it again who was sentenced for manslaughter? This kind of sloppiness is just inexcusable.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10677149

Man's sentence for fatally shaking son too short - mother
2:42 PM Thursday Sep 30, 2010

A Taupo man has been jailed for seven years and two months after he shook his baby son so violently after an argument with his partner that the boy died from his injuries.

In the High Court at Rotorua today Adam Christopher Lock, 22, was sentenced for the manslaughter of five-week-old Jayrhis Lock-Tata.

He was given an additional two years' jail for a series of charges relating to serious assaults on his partner and the child.

This is to be served concurrently with the manslaughter sentence. He was convicted and discharged on a count of intentionally damaging a police cell.

Outside the court Lock's former partner Shannel Tata said she had hoped he'd be jailed for a lot longer.

"I can never forgive him... I am not able to watch my baby grow up... my heart hurts so much," she said.

Her aunt Phalan Houpapa said she prayed Lock would do as the judge had urged him to and get help while inside.

Justice Peter Woodhouse noted a post-mortem had uncovered earlier-inflicted injuries caused by Jayrhis' ribcage being squeezed so hard he would have suffered pain and discomfort. The infant's death had been caused by a brain bleed consistent with being shaken violently. His body was bruised and some ribs freshly broken.

The court heard that Lock panicked and immediately sought help from a friend who arrived at this home. They performed CPR and Lock called an ambulance but Jayrhis died on March 7 last year, when his life support was switched off two days after his admission to Starship Hospital .

Lock had repeatedly denied his involvement in the baby's death, claiming his daughter had jumped on the baby. Initially he pleaded not guilty to murdering him but when his trial was about to begin last month he pleaded guilty to a substituted manslaughter charge. Jayrhis was one of two children Lock and Tata had together.

Justice Woodhouse said Lock and Tata had had a stormy relationship which involved violence towards each other and tensions between them. Lock had assaulted her during her pregnancy and shortly after Jayrhis' birth.

On one occasion he had been angry because he considered she'd been too long at a neighbour's where she was doing the family's washing. At other times he had accused her of drinking alcohol and having sex with other men.

Justice Woodhouse noted Lock had a difficult, "possibly dreadful", childhood during which he was physically abused. He had been separated early from his father who had committed suicide and had no contact with his mother.

Lock's "own path" had led to him accruing a long list of convictions. His drug abuse was serious - he admitted smoking up to five cannabis joints a day.

Defence counsel Michele Wilkinson-Smith submitted Lock had not brutally bashed or thrown his son, who had shown classic "shaken baby" symptoms.

She asked for a jail term of between five to seven years.

Crown prosecutor Fletcher Pilditch submitted the sentence should be in the vicinity of eight years.

A non-parole period of 3-1/2 years was imposed.

- NZPA