By Emma Jolliff
Convicted double murderer John Barlow likens his time in prison to being in retirement.
Barlow was released from Rimutaka Prison this morning, after serving 16 years for the 1994 murders of Eugene Thomas, 68, and Gene Thomas, 30.
“I’m very pleased to be leaving,” he told reporters.
Speaking outside his Pukeru Bay home this morning, Barlow pledged to try and have his conviction for killing the pair overturned, but he wasn’t giving details of how he’s going to do that.
Watch the full interview with John Barlow
Barlow says he isn’t concerned with public reaction to his release – he has already been out working in the community and home on leave a few times. People who recognise him have never reacted badly, he says.
It was a third trial that convicted Barlow, after ballistics evidence was admitted. The two prior trials resulted in hung juries.
He was sentenced to a minimum 14 years.
After denying him parole three times, the Parole Board last week decided he was free to go.
Barlow’s wife and daughter have said they have never asked if he committed the murders, they just believed him.
When asked by 3 News if he did, Barlow responds: “No, I didn’t”.
He says prison hasn’t changed him.
“It’s a lot harder on the family that are left behind than it is on the person who goes into prison,” he says.
Barlow told media he didn’t have any immediate plans other than to have a cup of tea and relax.
Asked whether he had any messages for the Thomas family, he said he didn’t but his parole conditions prevent him from contacting them either directly or indirectly.
Thomas did not want to talk about the day the men were killed.
3 News