Jodi Jones' family blast killer Luke Mitchell for sick taunts from behind bars on anniversary of her deathKiller Luke Mitchell has declared he “is a man now” and will lead his own campaign to be freed from prison.
The family of Jodi Jones blasted her killer for sick taunts from behind bars on the anniversary of the teen’s slaying.
Jodi Jones' killer Luke Mitchell has declared he “is a man now” and will lead his own campaign to be freed from prison - just days before the anniversary of her death.
But family members of Jodi have reacted furiously to the latest “killer propaganda” saying he should be stopped from tormenting them from his jail cell.
Jodi was just 14 when her naked and mutilated body was discovered behind a wall in a wooded area near her Dalkeith home on June 30, 2003.
Since he was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years behind bars for the brutal murder the killer has protested his innocence. Four appeals have so far failed.
His case received renewed interest from the public following a Channel 5 documentary earlier this year which supported his innocence claims.
And now in a message to supporters, released by a prison pen pal, Mitchell said he is taking the reins of his campaign.
Mitchell, who was 16 when convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2005 of killing girlfriend Jodi, has declared he “will not stay in the background any longer.”
Jodi was just 14 when her naked and mutilated body was discovered behind a wall in a wooded area near her Dalkeith home on June 30, 2003.
Since he was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years behind bars for the brutal murder the killer has protested his innocence. Four appeals have so far failed.
His case received renewed interest from the public following a Channel 5 documentary earlier this year which supported his innocence claims.
And now in a message to supporters, released by a prison pen pal, Mitchell said he is taking the reins of his campaign.
He has also urged his deluded supporters to attend a rally in support of his campaign.
But Jodi’s family hit back, with an angry relative telling the Daily Record: “Stay in the background? Since when? He’s been manipulating the whole thing from inside since it started.
"He went quiet for a few years and was doing the time but then that disgusting programme which was full of half-truths came out and all of a sudden he’s mister innocent.
“It’s sickening. The people backing him are deluded and have no idea of the monster he is.
“He should stay in the background because the only people listening to him are the people being taken for a ride with the wool pulled over their eyes.”
In an attempt to gain further sympathy from followers, a photo of Mitchell as a child was posted on an online support group with promises more would be released. It shows him eating a carrot with a pony.
But Jodi’s relatives urged the public to treat the new campaign with disdain.
Jodie's relative said: "He might have been an innocent child at one time but he grew up into a monster. Showing pictures of him as a child elicits nothing more than rage on the part of my family. He’s lost his childhood? He took Jodi’s life!
“And he is paying the price for that. Incredible that convicted killers can run campaigns from behind bars and say anything they like to torment the family even more. Especially given it’s the anniversary today. It’s evil is what it is.”
The statement claiming to be from Mitchell and mum Corinne was released on to the “Free and Retry Luke Mitchell” Facebook group earlier this week.
A supporter, Lisa Reynolds Peden said she is in daily contact with Corinne and every second day with the murderer from his jail cell at Shotts Prison.
In the statement from Peden, she claimed Mitchell said he will not allow “ANYONE to speak for him any more.”
It read: “THIS STATEMENT IS FROM LUKE AND CORINNE: Luke has spoken to people the last few days and made it very clear that he will not allow ANYONE to speak for him any more. He is a man now and will not stay in the background any longer. I will now be posting all statements from Luke via myself.
“I have spoken to Luke and Corinne. Both their wishes are that everyone who is able to, attends the protest on the 17th of July in Edinburgh. They are both one hundred percent behind this group and the protest that's been organised."
Mitchell has also attempted to distance himself from stickers being put around his home town demanding his release - but featuring a picture of Jodi.
The statement goes on: “Luke does not want photos of Jodi distributed for his fight for justice, this is insensitive to Jodi's family and friends, and creates bad press for him. It is not and has never been Luke's wishes for us find the real killer, that's the police's job. But our job is to make people aware that Luke is 100% innocent.
"We all want Luke free and home to his mum. For anyone else to be investigated and/or charged Luke must be acquitted first.”
The statement goes on to allege Mitchell does not want to upset Jodi’s family – despite his campaign causing anguish for years.
It says: “He has been too concerned about upsetting other friends, people, and following other wishes, but has lost his childhood, teenage years and adolescence.
“He will not stand for this any more. Luke appreciates your support and welcomes future peaceful protests and any other means of support within the law. All ideas from ANY groups MUST be ran by Luke in the first instance before anything is done.”
The message ends with Mitchell, saying: “Thank you everyone for your continued support and helping me fight for my freedom. Big things are coming.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/jodi-jones-family-blast-killer-24425567
