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Convicted
murderer
Ratten
is released
MELBOURNE: Convicted
murderer Mr Leith McDonald Ratten,
who was at the centre of one of Aus
tralia's longest and mosl-publicised
criminal trials 13 years ago, was re
leased from jail yesterday.
The Premier. Mr Cain, said that Mr
Ratten, 44, would be freed from the
remainder of his 25-year sentence for
murdering his wife.
He said the decision had been taken
on the advice of the Parole Board. Mr
Ratten was regarded as a model pris
oner who was not likely to commit an
offence again.
He added that the decision to release
Mr Ratten should not open the question
of whether his original conviction was
correct.
Mr Ratten has consistently pleaded
his innocence since he was convicted of
shooting his wife Beverley with a shot
gun at their Echuca home on May 7,
1970. She was 8'A months pregnant at
the time.
He has always maintained that the
gun discharged accidentally while he
was cleaning it.
He was found guilty and sentenced
to death. In 1971, the sentence was
commuted to 25 years in prison.
The case was to involve six court
hearings and four appeals. Lawyers,
Members of Parliament and his family
led a scries of campaigns to free Mr
j Ratten.
The Federal leader of the Australian
! Democrats, Mr Chipp, was among his
long-time supporters.
With good behaviour remissions, he
was not due to be released until next
year.
Mr Cain said that Mr Ratten had
been released under a section of the
Crimes Act which provides for "the
prerogative of mercy" to be invoked.
As part of his parole conditions, he
would be under the supervision of a
parole officer for five years. Another
condition was that he should not use,
own or possess a firearm.
The Premier said that the State Gov
ernment had also decided to release Mr
Esterino luliano in November. He was
found guilty in the Supreme Court in
Melbourne in July 1970 of murdering
his wife.
Mr Ratten has a job waiting for him
with the Goulburn Shire at Nagambic,
north of Melbourne, if he wants it,
according to the Shire engineer, Mr
David Saunders.
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