Anne Lynch feels a mixture of disbelief and anger that Christopher Taunoa, who left her husband Hugh lying dead with his throat slit, has been given $55,000 for being mistreated in jail.
The Manawatu woman says she is still paying the cost of a murder that wrecked her life.
She says that what Taunoa did to her husband in their Sanson pub eight years ago has cost her and her family about $100,000 over eight years. They never received compensation, only some ACC money.
Taunoa was one of five men, described as among the country's most difficult prisoners, who received $130,000 compensation last week for their mistreatment behind bars.
In the High Court at Wellington, Justice Ron Young also made a $358,000 costs award so none of the payouts would be used to repay legal aid for the cases.
"I honestly can't see the justice in a prisoner having the right to sue," Mrs Lynch told the Sunday Star-Times in the only interview she has given.
"Why should he be compensated after what he's done? There was no compensation for us.
"He's in a place where they don't have rights, that's what I believe a prison is.
"If he was ill-treated ... as long as the problems have been corrected, that should be the end of it."
She has consulted a solicitor about the possibility of suing Taunoa, but worries about going up against a convicted murderer.
Mrs Lynch believes the payout is symptomatic of a "twisted" justice system skewed in favour of the criminal.
She says the decision has set a precedent and could open the floodgates for other prisoners to sue.
On Taunoa's claims about suffering psychological torture in Paremoremo Prison, she said: "What about the torture we're still living?"
Mrs Lynch said she believed Taunoa was evil.
And she fears for her family's safety when he becomes eligible for parole in two years.
"He's still got his life - my husband hasn't got his. And he's left us to deal with this for the rest of our lives."
Mrs Lynch wants the Government to change the law to prevent any more prisoners benefiting.
Justice Minister Phil Goff said yesterday that Mrs Lynch was unlikely to succeed with a civil claim against Taunoa.
Any law reform aimed at redirecting prisoner compensation payments to a victim would be subject to a six-year statute of limitations, and would therefore not be retrospective.
But Mr Goff said Taunoa might never be released to see the benefit of his "windfall".
- NZPA
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