THE trial of a Perth pensioner who admitted stabbing his son to death is drawing to a close, with prosecutors urging jurors to reject his self-defence argument, describing the killing as “effectively an execution”.
Ernest Albert Fisher, 67, confessed in late October 2016 to fatally stabbing Matthew Kyle Fisher-Turner, 23, at their Parmelia home four weeks earlier.
He initially told detectives he believed his son was “over east” but came clean after about one-and-a-half hours of questioning, saying he did it because Matthew was a violent and threatening “arsehole” towards his family.
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READ NOWFisher lifted his shirt to show bruises and also claimed his son “went ballistic” when he mentioned getting a violence restraining order against him.
Prosecutor Laura Christian told the Supreme Court of WA jury during closing addresses on Tuesday that there were no reasonable grounds for Fisher’s belief he had to kill Matthew.
“He wasn’t even prepared to talk to the police, ask them about other options,” she said.
“Killing someone in self defence should be a last resort. In Ernest’s case, it was a first resort.”
Fisher told police shortly after he confessed he’d done the right thing because Matthew was “like a terrorist”.
But towards the end of the interview, he said he wasn’t sure if he needed a solicitor or not because “I’ve done the wrong thing, I know it”.
“He knew he was guilty of murder and it was his desire to avoid being caught for it,” Ms Christian said.
Matthew’s siblings Joshua Fisher-Turner, 28, and Hannah Fisher-Turner, 21, are accused of being accessories.
Joshua admitted burying Matthew while Hannah confessed to helping him carry the body to the backyard on a ladder, and both said they cleaned up other evidence.
“We all said we should just tell the cops”, Hannah told detectives, but Fisher refused.
He had started digging the hole, but left to watch the AFL grand final at a friend’s house, telling detectives that was his “priority”.
Asked why she didn’t call police after her father left, Hannah replied: “It seemed wrong to turn on him.”
Hannah and Joshua also both told police Matthew was abusive and threatening.
Ms Christian urged jurors to put aside any sympathy they might feel for the siblings, saying “they did what they did willingly”.
– AAP