ACCUSED IN WITNESS BOX

Chronicle (Levin), 4 May 1949, Page 6

ACCUSED IN WITNESS BOX

Press Association)

Verdict 01 Manslaughter In Napier Case

(Per

(NAPIER, May 3. ' ' Th.at is a proper verdict," said Mr, Justice Cornish in the Supreone Court tonxght when the jury empanelled tc hear the murder charge against Tlenu Ranapixi, aged 41, a Maori of Tangoio, returned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter with. the stroiigest possioie reconunendation to mercy. The jury had retired at 5.5 p.m. and returned at 8.30 p.m. Prisoner was remanded for sentence. Main interest in today's proceedings centred in the appearance of accused in the witness hox where he was questioned for two hours. -• Accused said he was an apostle of the Ratana faith, oue of the beliefs or which was that it was wrong to shed blood. Shortly before the night oi PoKib 's .death, two or three boys had been arrested in the district with a stolen ear and armed with iirearms. During the party on February 5, tlie children of neighbours who were at another party, came to tlie fSpooner house and said they were afraid to go home because someone was prowling arountl their house. When he returned hoine from the party he went into his bedroom. He heard a noise connng from his daughter's bedroom and thought nothing of it at first. Then he remembered the previous incidents and decided t,o investigate. He picked up a rilie and couple of cartridges and carrving a torch, went to his daughter's rooin. As he shouldered the door open the rilie went off, the buliet going into the floor. In the rooiu he stood at the end of tus daughter's bed and shone a torch on the bed. Pohio was in the room and witness said to him "What are you doing heref After Pohio replied, witness said "I have half a inind to shoot you."' Pohio replied, "You can do so if you like. ' ' The rifle was pointing towards the floor but when Pohio made this last remark, witness said he thought Pohio was going to get,up and so he raiseci the barrel of the rifle above^the end oi the bed. The rifle then went olf. Mr. Dowiing: Reniembering your oath, will you tell me if you had your finger on the trigger of the rifle at aiiy time. Witness: I did not. Was it ever in your mind to discharge the rifle at him? — No. Accused said he did not expect to see Pohio in his daughter's room when he went in. He did not know what to expect. Accused said that laler he held a serviee in the house for the purpose oi delivering up the soul of Paul Pohio. to ask the Father to forgive Pohio for his sins and protect his (accused 's) children. Dealing with his statement to the police, accused said he had no sleep aii that night and when he made his statement he felt that Pohio 's death resulted from his actions. Consequently, he wauted to give himself up and "pay the sacriflce." Mr. Dowiing: What, in your opinion, was the exaet cause of Pohio 's deatli ■■ Accused: The fact that I did not h$,ve full control of iny rifle and the throwing of the gun over the end of the bed to order him out. Cross-ex'amined by Mr. Willi's, accused said the shot that killed was fired as he lifted the rifle and threw it 011 the end of the bed. Mr. Willis: Is it not a strange coincidence that when you just threw the rifle on the end of the bed, and it went off, the buliet should hit Paul in tne right place — his head? Accused: Yes. Mr. Willis: . Is it not a plain fact that you shot this man? Accused: Xo. Mr. Justice Cornish: Did you shoot

this ma n 111 a moinent of pro'vbeation? Accused: When the gun Went off 1 had 110 intention of sliooting him. Mr. Willis: Had you known for some time that the rifle was a "hair trigger ' ' ? — Yr es. Did you know it was dangerous? — Xo. Accused admitted that he had drunk his share of beer at the party. Mr. Willis: Did you think it was right that, after taking liquor, you should take a hair trigger . rifle vvita you when going 'to investigate the noise in your daugther's room? Accused: I did not think of that at the time.