A witness whose identity is suppressed has told a court that a teen accused of murdering a boy snatched her phone and recorded a video of his bloodied hand holding a knife, as a group laughed after the attack.
The witness, whose identity is suppressed, said she was with a group travelling between parties.
The witness said a circle of people formed around the boy outside a party, punching and kicking him.
The witness said the murder-accused got out of a car and joined in. She tried to stop him getting involved. She did not see a knife but at one stage saw the boy on the ground, surrounded. She then saw him get up and run around a corner, where he subsequently collapsed and died.
The witness said some of the group, including the murder-accused, followed. They returned minutes later. She said she heard laughing and the accused grabbed her phone. She noticed blood on him after he took it.
The court heard that the murder-accused recorded a video of his bloodied hand holding a knife. The video has been played to the court several times.
The witness said the murder-accused had blood on his hands after the attack.
The accused, whose identity is also suppressed, admits he stabbed the boy, but the defence has told the jury it should find him guilty of manslaughter, not murder. The defence says he would not have known his reckless actions could have caused a death. The Crown says the teen is guilty of murder.
A forensic scientist described examining the scene and tracing blood to where the boy collapsed. She told the jury that blood stains indicated an artery had been breached.
The trial continues.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The death of 15-year-old Kaea Karauria has devastated his community; the trial is being closely watched for justice.
- The case raises issues of youth violence, gang affiliation, and how the law treats accused with intellectual impairments.
- The video evidence and witness testimony could determine whether the verdict is murder or manslaughter.
Background
The incident occurred in the early hours of 11 May last year in Napier, after a minor incident at a party a few weeks earlier and a mistaken belief that Kaea was associated with Black Power. The accused, who has Mongrel Mob tattoos, admits stabbing Kaea but argues he should be found guilty of manslaughter due to his intellectual impairments preventing him from understanding the consequences of his actions.
Key Perspectives
Crown prosecutor Stephen Manning: Says the teen is guilty of murder.
Defence lawyer Tim Braithwaite: Acknowledges Kaea Karauria's death is devastating but argues for a manslaughter verdict.
What to Watch
- The jury's verdict on whether the murder charge stands or is reduced to manslaughter.
- Any further testimony about the accused's state of mind and intellectual capacity.
- Sentencing if a guilty verdict is reached.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedA teen accused of murder snatched a phone to film a bloody video, the court heard.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “A teenage girl who witnessed a fatal attack outside a party says a teen accused of murdering a schoolboy snatched her phone from her to record a bloody video.”
- SupportedThe witness described the accused joining the attack on the boy.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “When he saw what was happening she said he pushed her off him, jumped out and joined in.”
- SupportedThe accused recorded a video of his bloodied hand holding a knife.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The murder-accused recorded a video of his bloodied right hand, in which he was holding a knife.”
- SupportedA group laughed after the attack.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The murder-accused was among a group of people who were laughing after the attack happened, the teenage girl told the High Court at Palmerston North on Friday.”
- SupportedA circle formed around the boy outside a party, and people punched and kicked him.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “On the street outside the party, a circle of people formed around Kaea, who the witness didn't know at the time, punching and kicking him.”
- SupportedThe witness did not see a knife and saw the boy on the ground surrounded by people.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “She didn't see a knife, but at one stage saw Kaea on the ground, surrounded.”
- SupportedThe witness saw the boy get up, run around a corner, and later collapse and die.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “She then saw him get up and sprint around the corner, to Alexander Ave, where he subsequently collapsed and died.”
- SupportedSome of the group, including the accused, followed the boy and returned minutes later.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The witness said some of the group, including the murder-accused, followed. They returned minutes later.”
- Not in the sourcesThe accused’s identity is suppressed.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The accused, who was 15 at the time, is facing trial for murdering 15-year-old Kaea Karauria in the early hours of 11 May last year in Napier.”
- SupportedThe accused admits stabbing the boy.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The accused, who was 15 at the time, is facing trial for murdering 15-year-old Kaea Karauria in the early hours of 11 May last year in Napier. The murder-accused admits he stabbed Kaea”
- SupportedThe defence says the jury should find the accused guilty of manslaughter, not murder.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “The murder-accused admits he stabbed Kaea, but the defence has told the jury it should find him guilty of manslaughter, not murder.”
- SupportedThe forensic scientist said blood stains indicated an artery had been breached.RNZ New Zealand Headlines: “In this case it means that Kaea received an arterial breach in this area and his artery was bleeding - shooting out a lot of blood.”