Found Deceased NEW ZEALAND - Grace Millane, 22, British backpacker, Auckland, 1 Dec 2018 *Arrest* #2

[CoverMeCagney]

Surely, if he's found not guilty, it will set a precedent for choking/strangulation deaths, anyone can claim it was an accident?! If he walks free, his name will never be released? He will get the attention he so obviously craves with his tall tales to anyone who'll listen, the sob story for all his future encounters.

Oh don't worry, his name will be released, by him. He won't be able to stop pimping himself as some BDSM poster boy, snivelling his sob story to all the mucky tabloids he can find., claiming PTSD from the experience and threatening to sue the police. I don't know if New Zealand has Big Brother but I reckon he'd be aiming to star in something like that. Or Love Island. Jesus. Yuck.

 

[mrazda71]

Oh don't worry, his name will be released, by him. He won't be able to stop pimping himself as some BDSM poster boy, snivelling his sob story to all the mucky tabloids he can find., claiming PTSD from the experience and threatening to sue the police. I don't know if New Zealand has Big Brother but I reckon he'd be aiming to star in something like that. Or Love Island. Jesus. Yuck.

Cags! Have you seen the time?! Get to bed

I've been catching up in bed on my phone & my heads been nodding but had to keep reading that excellent prosecution summing up!

I'm wondering who, if anyone is there in the courtroom to support the Accused.

 

[legal.beagle]

"Dickey says the defence is not saying this was manslaughter, they are saying it was an accident and that the accused should walk free. "

Grace Millane murder trial: Crown and defence sum up the case

Umm..

 

[Mariposa]

Based upon these things said by Dickey the defense is not conceding manslaughter at all:


Grace Millane murder trial: Jury to hear Crown, defence closing arguments
The prosecutor said the defence was claiming "this was an accident, he should walk free".


Grace Millane murder trial: Crown and defence sum up the case
Dickey says the defence is not saying this was manslaughter, they are saying it was an accident and that the accused should walk free.

"It's Grace’s fault as much as anyone's fault. He didn't do anything wrong [the defence says]."

 

[legal.beagle]

Yeah I am wondering. In the US he would be facing conviction on multiple lesser charges besides/in the alternative to murder such as possibly manslaughter and abuse of a corpse and maybe obstruction of justice. I wonder if he has pled to some lesser things that are suppressed ( can’t have pled to manslaughter because Dickey says the defense is not conceding manslaughter).

I’m hoping the judge’s summing up tomorrow lays out what the jury has to decide.

Yes, correct; it's referred to as perverting the course of justice here in NZ. Which it would appear he is blatantly guilty of, surely.

 

[Mariposa]

Catching up. Whew, what a whirlwind. Poor Grace's family having to hear all of that. Dickey is AMAZING. When will we find out the verdict?

The judge gives the case to the jury tomorrow (Fri in NZ) I think after he sums up..not sure if they will start deliberations tomorrow or fresh on Monday?

 

[Kikixxxx]

Yes, correct; it's referred to as perverting the course of justice here in NZ. Which it would appear he is blatantly guilty of, surely.

If that’s all he gets found guilty of that might just come off the time he’s already spent in custody waiting for his trial... which would mean he would be free to walk. God no. Surely not after that closing argument. The defence will start with theirs any minute now...

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Cags! Have you seen the time?! Get to bed

I know! Also in bed on my phone and I’ll regret it in 6 hours. It’s harder (time-wise) than following US trials.

 

[kiwilaura]

After hearing the lacklustre evidence the defence put forward, and after reading the stunning summing up by the prosecution, I have revised my opinion of what the jury will find and am preparing myself for the verdict of guilty of murder. I now can not see how they can return anything but.

 

[tmar]

After hearing the lacklustre evidence the defence put forward, and after reading the stunning summing up by the prosecution, I have revised my opinion of what the jury will find and am preparing myself for the verdict of guilty of murder. I now can not see how they can return anything but.

However, I am always wary, as we have had shocks in the past.

 

[legal.beagle]

If that’s all he gets found guilty of that might just come off the time he’s already spent in custody waiting for his trial... which would mean he would be free to walk. God no. Surely not after that closing argument. The defence will start with theirs any minute now...

Surely not, right..

 

[legal.beagle]

After lunch, lawyer Ian Brookie begins summing up the defence's case to the jury.

"This is not a murder," Brookie says.

"This was an accidental death that took place in a sexual context, between inexperienced and intoxicated people."

The accused reacted badly to an unexpected, unforeseen and unintended death, Brookie says.

His actions are consistent with someone who did not cope when confronted with this crisis, he says.

"This was not just knocking over a milk jug, it's someone dead on his floor. It looks terrible."

"Each of you is a judge and you have to approach that in a careful and conscientious way," he tells the jury.

"Morals, prejudice, sympathy, anger - these will distract you from your task, which is logically and critically going through the evidence that the Crown has provided."

Grace Millane murder trial: Crown and defence sum up the case

 

[Kikixxxx]

2:13pm - Defence lawyer Ian Brookie has begun his closing statement.

He tells the jury that each member is a judge that must approach the evidence in a "careful and conscientious and logical way". Brookie says emotion must be put aside to consider if the case for murder has been proved beyond reasonable doubt.

"This is not a murder… it was an accidental death," Brookie says. The lawyer notes that Millane and the accused were intoxicated when they had sex and were inexperienced.

Grace Millane murder trial: Live updates as Crown, defence present closing statements

 

[flutterby]

I hope Mr Dickey has a nice cold G+T waiting for him at home. Not bad work for a Thursday!

Just reading his words was so powerful, never mind what it must have been like in court actually hearing him say them.

Like the other UK posters, I really must get to bed!

 

[Kikixxxx]

2:17pm - Brookie says the jury must question whether what happened after Millane's death is relevant to them deciding whether a murder happened.

He admits the accused "freaked out".

"He reacted badly. He acted selfishly. Reprehensible. Bad. Unacceptable."

Brookie tells the jury the accused didn't think anyone would believe him about what happened with Millane. Once the accused committed to a course, he had to "carry on with it" until he realised in the December 8 interview that he couldn't maintain a lie.

Grace Millane murder trial: Live updates as Crown, defence present closing statements

 

[Kikixxxx]

2:21pm - The defence lawyer says the core of the December 8 interview - where the accused went through his version of events - is verified by evidence. He exemplifies this by discussing the accused's claim that in the CityLife hotel Millane raised rough sex. The accused also said she said she had done this with a former partner.

Brookie says this claim has been verified by witness statements presented on Wednesday.

Grace Millane murder trial: Live updates as Crown, defence present closing statements

 

[Kikixxxx]

The steps the accused took after Grace’s death do not show a cold, calculated killer - there is a lack of sophistication, defence lawyer Ian Brookie continues.

"Once you are committed to a course of action you have to carry on with it," he says.

And he maintained this course until December 8, when it became clear to him he couldn't maintain the lie anymore.

"He spoke to police - he didn't have to," Brookie says.

"Not only did he speak but he assisted police."

The murder charge focuses on the death of Grace Millane.
But the Crown has to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the defendant caused the death of Grace.

Either by direct intention to kill or by recklessness.

"So, what I'm trying to say is the murder charge is not concerned with what his state of mind was after [Grace's death], this is concerned with what his state of mind was during her death.

"The Crown has to prove this to you."

Grace Millane murder trial: Crown and defence sum up the case

 

[Thelastleg]

Thank you @Tortoise and others for the updates. I've been out all evening so will try and catch up during the 15 minute break.

Dbm

 

[Mariposa]

2:13pm -
"This is not a murder… it was an accidental death," Brookie says. The lawyer notes that Millane and the accused were intoxicated when they had sex and were inexperienced.

Grace Millane murder trial: Live updates as Crown, defence present closing statements

(Snipped by me)
Now they were inexperienced? After the defense rolled out all those witnesses to show GM was Miss BDSM?

Also pursuing sex partners seemed to be the defendant’s occupation but sure he was just a babe in the woods, so drunk so confused as to what his hands were doing to her neck.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

.,,,,,until he realised in the December 8 interview that he couldn't maintain a lie.

..... until he realised that he wasn’t, in fact, cleverer than the police, as he had previously thought.