Killer’s Facebook faux pas
A paroled murderer’s Facebook friend list included his cooffender and a series of Black Power associates, despite a release condition banning contact with members of the gang.
In July, Denis Richard Luke was granted parole after he served a jail term of 211⁄2 years for his role in the murder of New Plymouth man Christopher Crean.
Luke, who was the president of the Ha¯ wera chapter of the Black Power, had been on parole for another murder he committed as a 16-year-old in 1975 at the time of Crean’s killing.
This week, was alerted to a Facebook page created under
Luke’s name.
The page, which was seen before it was taken down yesterday morning, listed Luke as working for ‘‘Black Power Incorporated’’.
Some of the friends listed on the page were known Black Power members while others had the gang’s insignia as profile photos.
Another of Luke’s Facebook friends was Brownie Mane, his co-offender in the Crean killing, who was granted parole three years ago.
Eleven special conditions related to Luke’s parole were imposed and one of them related to having no communication or association with Black Power
members, unless he had the prior written approval of his probation officer.
In a response to media inquiries, Corrections acting deputy national commissioner Andy Milne said department staff ‘‘recently became aware of Facebook activity involving a page in the offender’s name.’’
Corrections is responsible for monitoring Luke while he is on parole and the conditions were in place for life.
Milne said the page did not appear to have been initiated by Luke and he told Corrections staff he viewed the page when shown it by friends or family.
‘‘The offender immediately
took steps to have the page taken down when this was put to him,’’ he said.
‘‘Public safety is our top priority and we take all noncompliance of release conditions imposed by the New Zealand Parole Board extremely seriously, ‘‘ he said.
‘‘Any offender who breaches the conditions of their sentence or order, will be held to account.’’
Milne said any offender’s compliance with conditions was ‘‘closely managed’’ by their probation officer.
‘‘We expect offenders to fully comply with the conditions imposed on them and take any breach very seriously.
‘‘A range of enforcement sanctions are available, including formal prosecution for breach of conditions which can result in
imprisonment,’’ he said.
It is unknown whether any breach action will be taken against Luke, however no recall application had been received by the Parole Board.
In 1997, Luke, along with cooffenders Brownie Mane, Symon Manihera and Robert Maru, were sentenced to life in prison for Crean’s murder.
Crean, who was shot dead on the doorstep of his home, was to give evidence against the Black Power in connection with an assault he witnessed between members of the gang and a rival group.
Mane was released on parole in July, 2015, followed by Manihera in 2016.
Maru remains behind bars and is due to be seen again by the Parole Board in November, 2019.