Sweet Jeebus’s Bleeding Hemorrhoids…
Hear about this one? The 42 year-old Australian security guard who was brutally assaulted by a thief wearing brass knuckles who was after the pub receipts she was carrying? She picked herself up, drew her concealed weapon, approached, and then shot the sumbitch. She’s been charged with murder! Here’s one version of the story:
Guard set for murder charge
A SYDNEY security guard tonight became a fugitive after refusing to submit herself to police for questioning over the shooting death of a thief during a bungled robbery.
Bungled my ass. She properly intervened.
If Karen Brown cannot be found she will be charged in her absence tomorrow morning.
Police had given Ms Brown until 6pm (AEST) today to present herself at Liverpool police station in south-west Sydney for an interview over her shooting of William Aquilina last Monday.
The 42-year-old Rooty Hill woman did not show and it was unclear whether she had been aware of the ultimatum.
Liverpool police Superintendent Terry Jacobsen said police tried to contact Ms Brown through her lawyers with phone calls and text messages throughout the day.
Her lawyers could not be reached by AAP.
Ms Brown allegedly shot and killed Aquilina moments after he attacked her with a knuckleduster and stole a bag of cash she was carrying out of the Moorebank Hotel.
She was originally scheduled to speak with officers on Tuesday, saying she was too unwell to talk before then.
But she raised the ire of police when it emerged she had given two media interviews, one of which was understood to have netted her a six figure payment.
“We have given her that opportunity but she has elected to go to the media, and that’s not appropriate,” Supt Jacobsen said.
He said Ms Brown’s non-attendance meant police would charge her with murder either tonight or tomorrow morning.
“We have sufficient evidence in my view of a prima facie case of murder,” he said.
Commencing criminal proceedings could make the airing of Ms Brown’s exclusive interview on tomorrow evening’s edition of Today Tonight in contempt of court.
“It will be sub judice and Today Tonight will publish any material at their peril,” Supt Jacobsen warned.
The officer condemned Ms Brown’s decision to tell the media her story instead of police.”
Channel Seven spokesman Simon Francis said the network still planned to air the program.
“Regardless of what happens we will be telling her story tomorrow night,” he said.
Mr Francis refused to confirm Seven had paid Ms Brown $100,000 for the interview but said the amount was substantially less than an offer by rival Channel Nine.
Mr Aquilina’s grandfather Frank Rasmussen accused Ms Brown of profiteering from his grandson’s death.
“She’s getting blood money, that’s all I can say,” he told Channel Nine.
Ms Brown said in an interview with today’s Sunday Telegraph that she was sorry for Mr Aquilina’s family.
“I really feel sorry for his family, it must be awful,” she said.
She said she feared for her life but after the attack had no recollection of events.
“I was so scared,” she said.
“I did not know where I was or exactly what had happened to me. All I knew was that blood was pouring into my eyes and my head was throbbing.”
Sounds bad, right? However:
TV payout will go towards legal defence
A SYDNEY security guard who shot and killed a robber last week was not trying to profit from the tragedy, her mother said today.Karen Brown shot William Aquilina, 25, after he assaulted her and robbed her of a bag of money outside the Moorebank Hotel in Sydney’s south-west last Monday.
Her mother, Beverley Brown, said she believed her daughter would be paid $100,000 by Channel 7’s Today Tonight program for an interview to be broadcast tonight.
“To my knowledge it is that amount of money ($100,000). I haven’t actually seen a cheque or anything like that.”
Beverley Brown said the money would be used to fund her daughter’s defence.
Damned good idea, IMHO.
And then there’s this version:
Bashed guard has skull fractured in attack
By Evelyn Yamine
July 30, 2004
THE security guard who shot and killed a man during a bungled armed robbery could not be interviewed by police yesterday because her injuries had worsened.
Karen Brown was kept in hospital after tests revealed that her skull and nose were fractured and she had trouble seeing out of one eye.
Ms Brown was supposed to give a statement to police about Monday’s armed robbery outside the Moorebank Hotel, Monday, where Ms Brown shot William Aquilina in the head.
Ms Brown was hit in the head with a knuckle-duster during the attack.
She was seen by an orthopedic and eye specialist yesterday and underwent a brain scan.
“She’s got a fractured skull and a fractured nose and there have been some other medical issues,” Mr Busuttil said.
There are suspicions she may have some fractured bones in her body.”
She may now need to remain in hospital for further tests.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Bingham said Ms Brown’s statement was imperative to the investigation.
“We would like to speak to her sooner rather than later but we’re mindful of the fact she did receive fairly serious injuries,” he said.
Ms Brown is expected to meet with police some time next week.
A post mortem examination conducted on Wednesday showed Aquilina died from blood loss due to a bullet in the face. The bullet was found still lodged in his head.
Police are waiting on toxicology reports. “It may be a factor in relation to his actions but that’s probably still six weeks away,” Insp Bingham said.
Aquilina’s parents, Anne and Michael, last night apologised to Ms Brown for the assault. They told A Current Affair their son was not one to hold a grudge and have decided to be the same.
“I’ve got no hard feelings,” Mr Aquilina said. “Maybe there could have been another way of doing it but I don’t know.
“If I knew what he was doing I would have stopped him.”
Mrs Aquilina added: “I’m sorry for what he did, I am really, really sorry, that’s all I want to say. He would not be cranky, he was so forgiving.”
Aquilina’s grandfather, ex-policeman Frank Rasmussen, said Ms Brown had been in no danger and should be charged with manslaughter or murder.
“She’s done the wrong thing … we’ve all done the wrong thing, but she’s done worse, she took a person’s life,” he said.
Mr. Rasmussen can go suck dead dog farts for all I care. Here’s another story on it:
Why I killed the robber
THE security guard who shot and killed a robber who bashed her has spoken about her ordeal for the first time.
Shaking and crying, a traumatised Karen Brown, 42, said yesterday she had feared for her life as she was punched in the head several times by William Aquilina, who was armed with a knuckle duster.
“I was so scared,” she said of the ambush and shooting outside a hotel in Sydney’s southwest last Monday morning.
Ms Brown suffered a fractured skull, a fractured eye socket, a fractured nose, a fractured left hand and possible brain damage when the 25-year-old grabbed her hair, king-hit her and then battered her to the ground.
The convicted criminal then dragged her across the bitumen towards a stolen getaway car before she could release a bag containing between $30,000 and $50,000 in hotel takings. Moments later, a bleeding Ms Brown, who was dressed in casual clothes and whose gun had been concealed, shot Aquilina as he sat in the car.
Surrounded by her family, Ms Brown tried to recall the incident that left her covered in blood in the hotel car park.
“I looked up through a bloody haze,” Ms Brown said. “I did not know where I was or exactly what had happened to me. All I knew was that blood was pouring into my eyes and my head was throbbing.”
Despite her injuries, which also include severe concussion and a floating bone fragment behind her eyeball, Ms Brown said she felt sympathy for Aquilina’s family and expressed remorse for what had occurred.
“I really feel sorry for his family,” said Ms Brown, who has been a security guard for four years.
“It must be awful. I just wish this had never happened. It’s been a terrible week.”
Ms Brown had been collecting and banking the pub’s takings for the past five months.
“Nothing like this has ever happened before and nothing prepares you for this,” she said.
Ms Brown’s sister, Katrina, said the incident had been devastating.
“It has completely wrecked her life,” she said at the Sydney home Ms Brown shares with her de facto, George Muratore. “She’s a complete mental and physical wreck. This is the worst thing that’s ever happened in her life. She has never hurt anybody or anything before and it’s completely crushed her.”
Mr Muratore’s father, Vic, 73, said he believed Ms Brown should not be punished.
“She should not be charged — I would have done the same thing,” he said. “If you pay me to protect, I have to protect. Everybody reckons she’s a champion.
“We have known her for seven years and she is a very decent person — she is a good person.
“I say sorry for the other people, but you deserve what you get when you do something like that.”
But Aquilina’s grandfather, retired policeman Frank Rasmussen, has said Ms Brown should be charged.
Right. Only the police should have the power to shoot criminals?
“He was murdered,” Mr Rasmussen said. “That woman should have torn into that hotel as soon as she alleges she was hit and she should have asked for help. Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold blood.
No, she was severely injured – by your grandson – and probably disoriented, and still did her job, which was to prevent his escaping with the loot, you prick.
“She’s just a bitch. Sorry.”
No, you’re an asshole. And I’m NOT sorry.
Mr Rasmussen said he was upset by how his grandson — who has convictions for drugs and robbery — had been portrayed.
“They’re saying he’s a rotten dangerous criminal and he’s not. He’s lovable,” he said. “We still don’t believe he’s done this on his own — he’s too good a person.
Yes, I’m sure he was just a lovable fuzzball as he punched Ms. Brown in the head multiple times. Don’t make me puke. He was a perfect fucking ANGEL I bet. But now he’s DEAD.
“He’s never been involved in anything like this in almost 26 years that we’ve known him. It’s not in his nature.”
Guess the brass knuckles weren’t his, either?
One thing’s for damned sure. He won’t be “involved in anything like this” again.
Ms Brown underwent further medical tests on Thursday. Detectives are not expecting to speak to her until tomorrow.
For a nation founded by cast-off convicts from Mother England, they sure seem to be sucking from the same teat of nanny-state enforced pacifism. For example, try this (unrelated) story:
Good Samaritans set upon by gang
A NIGHT out in inner-city Brisbane ended in violence for a family of good Samaritans who tried to intervene in a vicious gang attack.
The Jackson siblings of Sunnybank found themselves fighting for their lives after standing up to a bunch of “cowardly” youths who brutally kicked a man while he was on the ground at the corner of Edward and Charlotte streets.
Dr Peter Jackson, 28, was king-hit and knocked unconscious after running to help the man – who himself ran off and left the Jacksons to face the gang.
Brother John, 24, jumped into the fray to help his older sibling, but was overwhelmed by a swarm of angry youths aged 16 to 19 as he desperately tried to reach his stricken brother.
Enter sisters Elizabeth, 21, and Bridgette, 19. Trying to avoid blows from the gang of youths, the sisters pulled the attackers off Peter, who was unconscious for more than five minutes.
John later expressed disgust that a gathering crowd did not raise a finger to help.
“It was really un-Australian to see, but then again that has become the Australian way,” he said. “The gutless people watching them in the background couldn’t even help two girls.”
The family had been out to farewell John, who is off to Europe tomorrow, when they saw the gang attack a man by himself.
“(Peter) said, ‘Get away, get away.’ They just started walking away and then one of them took a step towards him and that just launched the rest of them on to Pete,” Elizabeth said.
“A guy came up and punched him in the back of the head and I think that was when he was knocked out. He went to ground and the guys didn’t leave him alone.”
John said his brother had half the attackers on him and “I had the other half”.
“Four or five of them cornered me and this massive hit came from somewhere,” he said. “I was just getting swamped.”
Elizabeth said there were “so many people around” who would not help.
“So Bridgette and I just went in and literally started grabbing these guys by their hoods and their jumpers,” she said.
“We were trying to pull them off one by one. One of them took a swing at Bridgette but it missed.
“(Afterwards) some bouncers came over after Pete had been on the ground for five minutes.
“They just said, ‘Oh, he’s all right, call the cops,’ and just walked across the road.”
The Jackson clan had no regrets yesterday, and appealed for public assistance to identify the attackers.
“I would do it again, definitely,” Peter said. “Some of the horrendous brain injuries you are unfortunate enough to see (in medicine) – you just don’t wish that on your worst enemy. They are vegetables (and) one or two more kicks and that guy could have been in massive trouble.”
Police sources told The Courier-Mail the force was 49 staff short in Brisbane City, but due to get 20 first-year constables soon.
They said it was a busy night on Saturday.
No word on how long it took for the police to show up, assuming they did.
Good thing none of the attackers had a weapon, isn’t it? Like, say, brass knuckles? Or a knife? Or even *gasp!* a gun?
