Prison murder trial delayed to June
The High Court trial of three men charged with the prison-cell murder of Benton Marni Parata has been delayed for seven weeks.
The three-week trial was scheduled to begin in the High Court at Christchurch on May 9, but the lawyers have been told this week that the start date has been put off to June 27.
Akuhatua Tihi, 23, of Nelson, Levi Hohepa Reuben, 21, and Steven Betham, a 37-year-old labourer, have all denied the joint charge of murdering Parata at Christchurch Men’s Prison in March 2015.
Police allege Parata, 44, was bashed in a prison cell on March 25, 2015, and died in hospital on March 30 without regaining consciousness, after life support had been turned off.
Category: Focus
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