Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Son of murdered woman says: death penalty 'too easy'

Death penalty 'too easy' for Aust tourist's killers

The son of an Australian woman murdered in India four years ago says the death penalty is 'too easy' on the men who killed his mother.

Two New Delhi taxi drivers were sentenced to death yesterday for raping and murdering 59-year-old Byron Bay woman Dawn Griggs in 2004.

Her son Adam Spinner says the death penalty is inappropriate in this case.

"In this case I think having your liberation taken away and facing your entire lifetime incarcerated in an Indian jail and contemplating what you've done to me is a far more appropriate penalty for this crime than the death penalty," he said.

Ms Griggs was killed soon after landing in India to attend a meditation course.

A frequent traveller to the country, she had asked the taxi drivers to take her to her destination, but instead was driven to a deserted field near the airport where she was murdered.

The court said Ms Griggs had struggled against her assailants before being raped and stabbed to death.

She was also attacked with a screwdriver.

The defence had argued that there was no direct evidence and no eyewitnesses, and indicated they would appeal.

India's Supreme Court stipulates that the death penalty be used only in the "rarest of rare cases."

Originally posted August 12, 2008 at 9 pm ET ABC News and elsewhere

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