Don Mackie
2009-02-04 21:21:47 UTC
Slightly surprising way for this to end... During one of his trials in
2005 he put on a crazy Eraserhead style. Google for the pics.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4838288a11.html
------------------------------------------------------
Killer Antonie Dixon dies in prison
By MARK STEVENS and MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz | Thursday, 05
February 2009
LATEST: Samurai sword attacker and convicted killer Antonie Dixon has
died in Paremoremo Prison just hours before he was due in court for
sentencing.
Crown prosecutor Simon Moore, SC, confirmed at the Auckland High Court
this morning that Dixon had died at Paramoremo prison last night.
Dixon was due to appear for sentencing this morning, however
arrangements had already been made to have sentencing adjourned until
February 20 so his sister, who lives overseas, could attend.
Communications Department spokeswoman Leanne Field said prison staff
who discovered the inmate had tried to provide medical assistance but
were unable to revive him.
"He was pronounced dead by ambulance staff when they arrived at the
prison.
"The Department is now undertaking an initial investigation to
determine what happened," she said.
Ms Field said the death would be investigated by the prison
authorities.
A coroner's investigation, assisted by the police, would be conducted
ahead of an inquest to determine the cause of death, she said.
Corrections could not confirm the identity of the man until his next
of kin had been informed.
Dixon, 40, attacked Simonne Butler and Renee Gunbie with a samurai
sword in Pipiroa near Thames on January 22, 2003, and murdered James
Te Aute in Auckland the same night. He was high on the drug P.
In 2005, Dixon was convicted of charges, including murder, kidnapping
and using a firearm against a police officer.
His defence had been that he was insane when he attacked Butler and
Gunbie before driving to Auckland where he shot dead Te Aute with 10
bullets in his back. He took a hostage before giving himself up to
police after a standoff.
However, the insanity defence was was always challenged by police who
called Dixon a "gold-plated psychopath". Prosecutors accepted Dixon
had a severe personality disorder and suffered from paranoia but
maintained he knew what he was doing when he committed the crimes
while under the influence of methamphetamines.
In Pipiroa, Dixon's increasing paranoia had exploded into rage when he
hacked at Gunbie and ex-girlfriend Butler with a samurai sword -
slashing at them until their hands were severed. The chopping stopped
only because the sword broke.
It took a team of surgeons 27 hours to delicately reattach Butler's
hands but Gunbie's hand couldn't be saved and she's lucky to be alive.
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions in 2007, ruling the judge
had erred in the summing-up of the case. In August last year, after a
second jury trial, Dixon was again found guilty on the eight charges
he faced.
His death comes just weeks after another prison incident involving
Dixon. The Sunday News reported that Dixon had pulled a "makeshift
weapon" on his own lawyer - Barry Hart - during a meeting at Auckland
Central Remand Prison on January 17.
"Staff supervising the meeting between the prisoner and his lawyer saw
the prisoner get agitated, and attempt to remove what they believed to
be a makeshift weapon from his shoe," a Corrections spokeswoman said
at the time.
Dixon's lawyer Barry Hart told the Sunday News that "[Dixon] has some
major mental issues at the moment"."The issues have deteriorated," he
said.
The drama was the second time Dixon was reported to be involved in an
incident with a weapon inside prison. In December, 2007, Dixon used a
fork to try to gouge out the eye of another prisoner, who required
hospitalisation.
Justice Hugh Williams said he had received a letter from Dixon saying
he had dispensed with Mr Hart's services and queried whether a new
lawyer needed to be appointed.
Mr Hart said Dixon had dispensed with his services on a number of
occasions.
"Everytime he got unwell, he had trust issues."
He said the system had let Dixon down badly.
Dixon had been jailed at least 14 times and had almost 160 prior
convictions - predominately for theft and burglary.
During the 2007 Appeal Court hearing, Hart said Dixon had suffered a
horrendous upbringing. As a child he was tied to a clothesline, could
only bark like a dog, and showed paranoid behaviour over several
years.
- With additional reporting from Michael Fox, Clio Francis and Kim
Ruscoe.
2005 he put on a crazy Eraserhead style. Google for the pics.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4838288a11.html
------------------------------------------------------
Killer Antonie Dixon dies in prison
By MARK STEVENS and MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz | Thursday, 05
February 2009
LATEST: Samurai sword attacker and convicted killer Antonie Dixon has
died in Paremoremo Prison just hours before he was due in court for
sentencing.
Crown prosecutor Simon Moore, SC, confirmed at the Auckland High Court
this morning that Dixon had died at Paramoremo prison last night.
Dixon was due to appear for sentencing this morning, however
arrangements had already been made to have sentencing adjourned until
February 20 so his sister, who lives overseas, could attend.
Communications Department spokeswoman Leanne Field said prison staff
who discovered the inmate had tried to provide medical assistance but
were unable to revive him.
"He was pronounced dead by ambulance staff when they arrived at the
prison.
"The Department is now undertaking an initial investigation to
determine what happened," she said.
Ms Field said the death would be investigated by the prison
authorities.
A coroner's investigation, assisted by the police, would be conducted
ahead of an inquest to determine the cause of death, she said.
Corrections could not confirm the identity of the man until his next
of kin had been informed.
Dixon, 40, attacked Simonne Butler and Renee Gunbie with a samurai
sword in Pipiroa near Thames on January 22, 2003, and murdered James
Te Aute in Auckland the same night. He was high on the drug P.
In 2005, Dixon was convicted of charges, including murder, kidnapping
and using a firearm against a police officer.
His defence had been that he was insane when he attacked Butler and
Gunbie before driving to Auckland where he shot dead Te Aute with 10
bullets in his back. He took a hostage before giving himself up to
police after a standoff.
However, the insanity defence was was always challenged by police who
called Dixon a "gold-plated psychopath". Prosecutors accepted Dixon
had a severe personality disorder and suffered from paranoia but
maintained he knew what he was doing when he committed the crimes
while under the influence of methamphetamines.
In Pipiroa, Dixon's increasing paranoia had exploded into rage when he
hacked at Gunbie and ex-girlfriend Butler with a samurai sword -
slashing at them until their hands were severed. The chopping stopped
only because the sword broke.
It took a team of surgeons 27 hours to delicately reattach Butler's
hands but Gunbie's hand couldn't be saved and she's lucky to be alive.
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions in 2007, ruling the judge
had erred in the summing-up of the case. In August last year, after a
second jury trial, Dixon was again found guilty on the eight charges
he faced.
His death comes just weeks after another prison incident involving
Dixon. The Sunday News reported that Dixon had pulled a "makeshift
weapon" on his own lawyer - Barry Hart - during a meeting at Auckland
Central Remand Prison on January 17.
"Staff supervising the meeting between the prisoner and his lawyer saw
the prisoner get agitated, and attempt to remove what they believed to
be a makeshift weapon from his shoe," a Corrections spokeswoman said
at the time.
Dixon's lawyer Barry Hart told the Sunday News that "[Dixon] has some
major mental issues at the moment"."The issues have deteriorated," he
said.
The drama was the second time Dixon was reported to be involved in an
incident with a weapon inside prison. In December, 2007, Dixon used a
fork to try to gouge out the eye of another prisoner, who required
hospitalisation.
Justice Hugh Williams said he had received a letter from Dixon saying
he had dispensed with Mr Hart's services and queried whether a new
lawyer needed to be appointed.
Mr Hart said Dixon had dispensed with his services on a number of
occasions.
"Everytime he got unwell, he had trust issues."
He said the system had let Dixon down badly.
Dixon had been jailed at least 14 times and had almost 160 prior
convictions - predominately for theft and burglary.
During the 2007 Appeal Court hearing, Hart said Dixon had suffered a
horrendous upbringing. As a child he was tied to a clothesline, could
only bark like a dog, and showed paranoid behaviour over several
years.
- With additional reporting from Michael Fox, Clio Francis and Kim
Ruscoe.
