A Sad Passing

In Memoriam: Greg King

The Christian world-view has a deep respect for defence lawyers.  To some this may come as a surprise, since often Christians are critical of governments and societies which no longer believe in retributive justice. How can these two positions be held in the same world-view?  Substantially both views are downstream currents flowing from a deeper truth: the universal depravity of the human race.

Usually, when Christians mention such a belief folks left, right, and centre become profusely vituperative.  They splenetically disgorge nonsensical accusations about Christians being "haters of the human race" (an ancient charge, being first recorded by Tacitus to justify Nero's persecution of Christians). But a moment's honest reflection usually suffices to set the record straight.  Who amongst us has never lost his temper?  Who has never told a lie?  The fact that such evils are so ordinary and commonplace as to be regarded as trivial and minor matters amongst us is proof of the universal extent and depth of our common depravity. 

Thus, Christians take crime and its right punishment very seriously.  But at the same time, the Christian world-view values highly competent, highly skilled defence lawyers.  How can these be reconciled?  Very easily.
  Depravity extends not just to individuals, but to everything in which human beings touch and do.  This includes the offices of state and the government.  These, too, are subject to the ravages of human depravity.  Because the state wields the sword, the damage it can inflict by acting wickedly or wrongly is enormous.  We cite Nero as proof.  Professional and expert defence barristers are a goldmine.


Consequently it was with sadness that we heard of the passing of one of our more diligent, assiduous and conscientious defence barristers.  Greg King died a year ago--by his own hand, as the recently released coroner's report makes clear.  Stuff reports:

Top lawyer Greg King took his life, depressed, burnt-out, and haunted by the dead from the cases he had known.  Coroner Garry Evans has released his findings into the death of King, 43, whose body was found on November 3, last year, in Dungarvan Rd, Newlands, Wellington, not far from his Mercedes car.

In the car was a typewritten note that began:  "To everyone: How can I explain the unexplainable?"  It said that after nearly 20 years as a defence lawyer he was burnt out, disillusioned and depressed.  "He says he is haunted by the dead from his numerous homicide cases and hates himself for what he has done," Evans said.  "He says he has been genuinely torn between doing his job and his conscience, which keeps asking him 'Is this really what you want to be doing?'"

In his finding, Evans mostly paraphrases the note in which King spoke of the experiences with criminals that had dulled his human senses and the victims of serious crime who affected him profoundly.

King cared deeply about the victims of crime.  It is not often seen that the Sensible Sentencing Trust deeply regrets the passing of a defence barrister:

Sensible Sentencing Trust’s Garth McVicar said New Zealand had lost one of the greatest men he had the good fortune to meet.  “Greg gave his time willingly and freely to assist many of the families and victims within the wider Sensible Sentencing Trust family,” Mr McVicar said.  “Greg’s knowledge of the law, his passion for people from all walks of life and his drive to leave society better than he found it was unique and irreplaceable."

Is it possible for a defence barrister to be instrumentally responsible for the guilty escaping conviction, one the one hand, and yet be committed to helping the victims of crime, on the other?  Only with great difficulty, we would imagine. Surely one would be torn in two--which is apparently what happened with King--unless one also believed that justice in this world is not final and that everyone, in that Day, will face full and final justice in one way or another. 

In memory of Greg King who passed from the sight of mortal men, November 3, 2012.