Three Aussie Murderers Fled To Thailand

[Buchholz]

Men accused of killing Luke Mitchell tell Thai court it was self defence

Good Samaritan Luke Mitchell was drunk and looking for trouble when he was stabbed to death two years ago, his accused killers have claimed in a Thai court. Two men charged with his death have told the court they were acting in self defence. Sarud Seehaverachart, 28, and Thatiya Terdputham 25, appeared in the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Anzac Day charged with the murder of the 29-year-old chef from Sanctuary Lakes, southwest of Melbourne.

The Bangkok Post reported today that in a pre-extradition hearing yesterday, the two men alleged Mr Mitchell was drunk at the time and that they stabbed him after a quarrel. Mr Mitchell was stabbed up to five times outside a convenience store in Sydney Rd, Brunswick, a short distance from where he allegedly stepped in to break up a fight outside a nightclub on May 24, 2009. He died later in hospital.

Both men fled to Thailand a short time after the stabbing. Mr Sarud and Mr Thatiya, who were brought to the court from Bangkok Remand Prison, said they were studying in Melbourne in 2009. Australian authorities have requested their extradition for trial through the Thai Foreign Ministry and the Office of the Attorney-General's international affairs department, under a warrant issued by a Melbourne court. Lawyers for the two are fighting the move

Continues:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/extradition-bid-for-accused-killers/story-e6frf7l6-1226045068620

Herald Sun - April 26, 2011

[kkerry]

Well if the self defense angle doesn't work then there's always this...

TWO Thai nationals charged with the murder of Luke Mitchell will fight extradition from Bangkok, claiming that they would not receive a fair trial in Melbourne and that the Victorian jails they would be held in are Third World standard.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/thai-pair-fight-extradition-20110426-1dv5x.html

[Buchholz]

Thais dissing Australia over prison conditions.

That's a new one.

[dunkin2012]

Well if the self defense angle doesn't work then there's always this...

TWO Thai nationals charged with the murder of Luke Mitchell will fight extradition from Bangkok, claiming that they would not receive a fair trial in Melbourne and that the Victorian jails they would be held in are Third World standard.

http://www.theage.co...0426-1dv5x.html

wow........ This is all sweetness and light ............... to the Aussie..

the Victorian jails they would be held in are Third World standard.

[swillowbee]

... they claim self-defense ... yet, within hours of stabbing this guy to death, they flee the country.

... and what a GREAT place to which criminals can flee? ... Thailand ... a nation without laws.

... glad (and more than just a bit surprised) to see them arrested here ... I do wonder what pressure was brought to bear on the ROYAL Thai Police to arrest them.

Edited April 27, 2011 by swillowbee

[webfact]

Phuket workers fight extradition for Aussie murder

Surad pictured here in an Interpol photograph.

PHUKET: -- Two former employees of a Phuket Town restaurant are fighting extradition to Australia, where they are wanted for the 2004 stabbing murder of an Australian man in Melbourne.

The pair, 28-year-old Surad Seehaverachart and Thatiya Cherdphutham, 25, are wanted for the May 2009 stabbing murder of 29-year-old Luke Mitchell outside a nightclub.

Surad was arrested by three officers stationed at the Tourist Police Region 5 office in Phuket Town on September 18 last year.

One of the three officers, Sgt Maj Meesak Mankhong, told the Rachada District Court in Bangkok yesterday he and fellow officers were working under orders from the Tourist Police Region 5 commander when they served a warrant issued by the Criminal Court and arrested Surad at an Isarn restaurant in Phun Pol Plaza in Phuket Town.

The arrest followed a one-week investigation, Sgt Maj Meesak said.

Surad was handed over to Phaholyothin District Police in Bangkok.

Thatiya, who was employed by the same restaurant, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Greater Bangkok on October 30 the same year.

A third Thai man allegedly involved in the slaying remains at large in Thailand.

Both Surad and Thatiya, who were working and studying in Melbourne at the time, admitted to killing the Australian and then fleeing the country.

However they said they were acting in self-defense against the much larger Australian, who they described as “almost two meters tall”.

They said Mr Mitchell was drunk and began bullying them during a crowded outdoor festival.

However, Australian newspapers quoted witnesses as saying Mr Mitchell was a Good Samaritan who stepped in to try and break up a fight during which a man was being badly beaten.

He suffered five stab wounds and later died in hospital, according to press reports at the time.

The next extradition hearing is scheduled for May 23.

– Nation Breaking News

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-04-27

[laurentbkk]

Finally there is a justice ...well..better wait and see ... if it was self-defense , why leaving the country that fast ?

[Buchholz]

In the interest of accuracy, as the accused are not Australians, but Thai, it might be beneficial to modify the thread title to:

Three Thai Murderers Of An Australian Flee To Thailand

Thai men fight extradition over Australian's death

Two Thai men who are fighting extradition to Australia over the murder of a Melbourne man have appeared in court in Bangkok. Australian authorities are trying to get the pair extradited over the death of chef Luke Mitchell in May 2009.

Mr Mitchell was stabbed five times after a fight outside a nightclub in suburban Melbourne. Sarud Seehaverachart, Thatiya Terdputham, and a third man who is still at large were studying in the city.

They fled back to Thailand after the incident, sparking criticism of Australian police who failed to stop them. The accused are fighting extradition, claiming Mr Mitchell was drunk and they acted in self-defence.

Continues:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/23/3224691.htm?section=world

ABC News - May 23, 2011

[Buchholz]

Sarud Seehaverachart, 28, (rear) and Thatiya Terdputham, 25, who are on trial for murder charges in Australia, arrive for an extradition hearing at the Criminal Court in Bangkok May 23, 2011. Australian media reports that both men have been charged with the stabbing murder of 29-year-old Sanctuary Lakes chef Luke Mitchell outside a Brunswick convenience store in Melbourne on May 24, 2009, and they fled to Thailand shortly after the stabbing.

REUTERS

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//110523/ids_photos_wl/r3018439098.jpg/

[Buchholz]

Murder victim Luke Mitchell with his niece

Men accused of Luke Mitchell's murder fight extradition in Bangkok court

VICTORIAN experts are in Bangkok in a bid to force two Thai men to return to Melbourne to face justice over the death of good Samaritan Luke Mitchell.

Sarud Seehaverachart, 28, and Thatiya Terdputham, 25, faced the Criminal Court in Bangkok yesterday charged with murder, but are fighting extradition. Mr Mitchell was stabbed five times after he allegedly stepped in to break up a fight outside a nightclub in Brunswick in May 2009.

The pair have claimed they will not receive a fair trial in Australia.

Continues:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/men-accused-of-luke-mitchells-murder-fight-extradition-in-bangkok-court/story-fn7x8me2-1226061540906

The Herald Sun - May 23, 2011

[Oberkommando]

Does anyone know if these two were eventually extradited?

[kkerry]

Assuming it's not the relative of anyone important in Thailand, they'll find them eventually.

TWO Thai men facing extradition to Melbourne over the murder of ''good Samaritan'' Luke Mitchell claim they are innocent and the real killer is the son of a mafia figure in Thailand who has not been arrested.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/accused-killers-oppose-trial-in-racist-victoria-20110926-1ktjp.html

[Jigger]

and a new reason they should not be sent back to Australia!

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/australians-are-racist-says-men-accused-of-killing-luke-mitchell/story-e6freuyi-1226147511612

(In some ways I agree, but not in the court / justice system)

[Buchholz]

.

Today, the Criminal Court ordered the extradition of the two Thais (Sarud Seehaverachart and Thatiya Terdphumtham) to Australia to face charges over the death of the Australian Luke Mitchell.

The court ordered that the two be detained for 30 days, pending an appeal.

.

[webfact]

topic continues here:

Criminal Court orders extradition of two Thais to face murder trial in Australia

Follow this link:

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