Buffett to face mental health tribunal
August 17, 2004 - 11:11AM
The 25-year-old son of Norfolk Island's deputy chief minister will face a mental health tribunal tomorrow over his father's murder.
Leith Buffett is charged with the murder of his father, Ivens "Toon" Buffett, who was shot dead as he worked in his office in the island's administration building on July 19.
Buffett, who a court has been told has a history of mental illness, was arrested and charged with the murder a short time later.
He was remanded in custody to reappear in the island's court of petty sessions today.
However, Buffett's solicitor John Brown said today the court was told last Friday the 25-year-old would instead face the island's Mental Health Tribunal tomorrow.
"Last Friday the matter came back before court and the court ordered that Leith submit himself to our Mental Health Tribunal which will consider what's the appropriate treatment for him," Mr Brown told AAP.
Mr Brown said the tribunal would sit tomorrow, with the matter to return to the court of petty sessions either late tomorrow afternoon or on Thursday.
"The application that will be made will be an application for Leith to be taken to a treatment facility on the mainland," he said.
The long-time Buffett family solicitor said there would be no objection to that course of events from the police prosecutors.
"The prosecution have handled the whole matter in a very professional fashion," he said.
Mr Buffett's killing rocked the 1,800-strong community while it was still dealing with the unsolved 2002 murder of Janelle Patton, the first such crime on the Pacific island for 150 years.
Police were quick to rule out any link between the two crimes.
- AAP