Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne, parents of Lauren Dunne Astley, testified before the Joint Committee on Education Tuesday.
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne took another step Tuesday in their efforts to prevent what happened to their daughter from happening to anyone else. Dunne and Astley testified during a legislative hearing of the Joint Committee on Education Tuesday, asking lawmakers to pass bills designed to bring violence prevention classes and healthy relationship education to all Massachusetts schools. Their own daughter, Lauren Dunne Astley, was murdered by her Wayland High School classmate and former boyfriend in July 2011. Nathaniel Fujita is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the crime "We need to keep track of our priorities, and relationships are the beginning and end of what people are about," Malcolm Astley …
Monday, May 13, 2013
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne, parents of slain Wayland teen Lauren Astley, will testify in hearing on three health/sex education bills
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne will appear before legislators on Beacon Hill Tuesday as part of their continuing efforts to prevent teen dating violence, which claimed their daughter's life in 2011. Astley and Dunne are the parents of Lauren Dunne Astley, a Wayland teenager murdered by her ex-boyfriend in the summer of 2011. Nathaniel Fujita is currently serving a sentence of life without parole for her murder. According to a press release, Astley and Dunne will be testifying during a hearing on three health/sex education bills "that aim to mandate sexual education and violence prevention programs in Massachusetts’s schools." Following their daughter's death, Astley and Dunne established the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund, which seeks, …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne were guests Monday on "Katie," a talk show hosted by Katie Couric. They discussed their ability to move forward in the wake of their daughter, Lauren Astley's, murder at the hands of Nathaniel Fujita.
"Extraordinary grace." Such were the words Katie Couric used to introduce two of the guests on Monday's episode of "Katie." Those two guests were Malcolm Astley of Wayland and Mary Dunne of Weston, parents of Lauren Astley, the Wayland teenager killed in July 2011 by her ex-boyfriend and Wayland High School classmate Nathaniel Fujita. "If you were her parents and she was your only child, how could you possible go on?" Couric asked in her introduction. "But they have managed to and with extraordinary grace." Couric then went on to briefly describe the circumstances of Astley's murder, Fujita's arrest and then his conviction of first-degree murder just weeks ago in Courtroom 530 at Middlesex Superior Court. Couric focused in on the day of …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne will be featured guests on today's episode of "Katie," to talk about their ability to "embrace the man who murdered their daughter."
Malcolm Astley of Wayland and Mary Dunne of Weston will be featured guests on a national talk show Monday to discuss their ability to "embrace the man who murdered their daughter," Lauren Astley. Astley and Dunne will appear on "Katie," hosted by Katie Couric, Monday afternoon. "Katie" is broadcast on ABC at 3 p.m. According to the preview of the show, Astley and Dunne will be two of the guests during a show titled "Redemption" and featuring "an hour about forgiveness." " ... hear the powerful true stories of a woman who, after 20 years, forgave the person who shot her in the face, and parents who were able to embrace the man who murdered their daughter. Then, child star Todd Bridges on hitting rock bottom and how he was able to turn his …
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne both gave victim's impact statements prior to the sentencing of Nathaniel Fujita, the man convicted of murdering their only daughter.
Other voices spoke boldly Thursday on behalf of a voice silenced after only 18 short years. Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne, parents of Lauren Astley, spoke up on behalf of their murdered daughter, poignantly reminding Judge Peter Lauriat what they lost when Nathaniel Fujita took her life. With his victim impact statement, Malcolm Astley told Lauriat "We need to acknowledge all of the fear, pain and distrust that resulted as collateral effects of the taking of [Lauren Astley's] life." "The causing of such pain and the taking of life has to be marked by significant consequences for the agent of the pain or society falls apart and so does the agent, I believe, in a vacuum." As Astley and Dunne spoke, Fujita sat quietly with his head bowed as …
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne focused on ending future violence against women in their statement after the sentencing of the man convicted in their daughter, Lauren Astley's, murder.
Malcolm Astley and Mary Dunne were composed and looking forward as they addressed reporters Thursday afternoon at the Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn. Just hours after learning that Nathaniel Fujita had been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of their daughter, Lauren Astley, Malcolm Astley and Dunne focused on future actions rather than the past. Saying that Lauren Astley's family experienced "immense grief and outrage at the loss of Lauren's sparkle," Malcolm Astley, speaking for he and Dunne, went on to say that they are "appalled at the similar murders of so many women in supposedly loving relationships." The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund is dedicated to ending that violence in dating and domestic relationships, …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Nathaniel Fujita sobbed at the defendant's table as the mother of Lauren Astley, the woman he is accused of killing, testified in court Thursday.
The short testimony of Lauren Astley's mother proved emotional for the many people gathered in Courtroom 530 in Woburn on Thursday. As Mary Dunne told jurors about her daughter's petite frame -- 5 feet and just under 100 pounds -- quiet tears and the crinkling of people reaching for tissues could be heard throughout the room at Middlesex Superior Court. Dunne was the final witness called by the Commonwealth in the trial of Nathaniel Fujita, the man facing a first-degree murder charge arising from the July 3, 2011, death of Astley, his ex-girlfriend and fellow Wayland High School Class of 2011 graduate. Composed but with her voice cracking, Dunne identified a photo of Astley smiling and looking directly into the camera with her green eyes…
Shannon E. O'Malley
2:15 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
It was very powerful to hear their testimony today at the MA State House. Lauren's life with always be remembered. Her parents are doing amazing work that will help so many young people here in MA. I hope the bills pass. more ›