Julian Knight Mass murderer. Date of Birth: 04.03.1968 Country: Australia

1. A Biography of Julian Knight
2. Education and Military Career
3. The Clifton Hill Massacre
4. Life in Prison
5. Legal Battles
6. Comparison to Matthias Flink

A Biography of Julian Knight

Julian Knight was born on March 4, 1968, and was the eldest of three children. When Knight was 10 years old, he was adopted by a family with strong military connections. His adoptive father was a well-trained officer. In his childhood, Julian had to frequently change residences, living in Melbourne, Puckapunyal, as well as Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. His parents divorced in 1980 when he was 12.

Education and Military Career

Knight attended Westbourne Grammar School, Fitzroy High School, and later Melbourne High School, which prepared students for admission to the academy. In the Melbourne school's annual yearbook from 1985, Knight was referred to as an "extremist and chief agitator." At Westbourne, his interest in weapons and military affairs, particularly those related to Nazi Germany, was noted. In 1986, Julian studied German history and politics at La Trobe University. At the age of 14, Knight became an army cadet, and at 17, while still in school, he was called up as a reservist and served in the intelligence unit. On January 13, 1987, an adult Knight entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Although a military career had long been his dream, he performed poorly in his studies, except for weapon expertise assignments.

The Clifton Hill Massacre

On August 9, 1987, Julian Knight committed the Clifton Hill Massacre, shooting and killing seven people and injuring 19 during a shooting in Clifton Hill, Victoria. This incident became known in Australian history as the "Hoddle Street Massacre." Currently, Knight is serving seven consecutive life sentences with the first opportunity for parole after 27 years in prison. At the time of his sentencing, Victoria did not provide for life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Additionally, as a young offender aged 18-21, Knight was classified as a young criminal, and his judge, George Hampel, stated that there were "a number of mitigating factors," including his age and "prospects for rehabilitation." Julian is serving his sentence at Port Phillip Prison, a maximum-security facility near Melbourne, and in 2014, he may be eligible for parole. However, the Victorian state government has stated that "Knight is unlikely to ever be released."

Life in Prison

During his 12 years in strict regime institutions, Knight earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Deakin University in 1995. Although he specialized in strategic and defense studies, Julian also excelled in international relations, political science, journalism, and psychology. Furthermore, Knight completed courses in first aid, information technology, hospitality management, mechanical engineering, gardening, cleaning, and fitness. In 2000, at Barwon Prison, Knight discovered a fellow inmate who had hanged himself and attempted to resuscitate him. On July 4, 2002, Knight filed a complaint regarding human rights violations when prison staff removed "political" items from his cell. These items included a collection of business cards, brochures, and sheets of paper. One of the sheets featured Adolf Hitler in uniform, while another depicted the same Nazi nationalist with a swastika and a skull and crossbones. The business cards displayed various slogans, including "Stop Asian Invasion," "We Just Hate All F*gs," and "White Power," along with contact information. Alongside posters and other papers, Knight's cell contained contraband, such as sharpened knives, articles related to the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazi Party, magazines, books, and articles about weapons and war, medicine bottles, markers, a leather belt, a can opener, computer disks, and more. Much of the found items contained information related to the prison's security and personnel, pornographic material, and photographs of prison staff. Knight's claim was rejected, but many of the confiscated items were returned.

Legal Battles

In February 2003, it was estimated that Julian Knight had cost the Victorian state government 250,000 Australian dollars, with an additional 128,000 spent since October 2001 on legal consultations for his claims. Subsequently, on October 19, 2004, Knight was prohibited from "vexing the court" for 10 years. However, in accordance with freedom of information laws, he still retained the right to make requests. On June 26, 2007, Knight appealed to the Supreme Court of Victoria, expressing his desire to gain access to the prison's rehabilitation program to improve his chances of parole. He also requested permission to write "apology and explanation" letters to one of his victims. The court heard from prison authorities who intercepted Knight's attempt to send a letter to one of his victims, resulting in him being charged with two prison offenses. He spent six days in solitary confinement. In June 2009, Knight filed a lawsuit against the Attorney-General of Victoria, Rob Hulls, seeking for Hulls to appear before the Supreme Court and remove Knight's status as a "vexatious litigant." The inmate also claimed to be an "instrument of oppression" by the government department of Corrections Victoria, which oversees public prisons.

Comparison to Matthias Flink

Julian Knight's case is similar to that of Matthias Flink, a 24-year-old Swedish officer who shot and killed seven people in 1994.