MURDER OF WIFE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 12

MURDER OF WIFE

Rau Found Guilty /HZ Press Association) AUCKLAND. June 30. Roy Raimalu Rau. a workman, aged 19. was sentenced to death by Mr Justice Turner in the I Supreme Court at Auckland tonight. A jury found Rau guilty of muii dering his wife. Ruahina Mikl Rau. aged 19. by stabbing her on April 8 I to New North road. ! Auckland. I The case for the Crown was conducted by Mr G. D Soeight and Mr D S Morris. Rau was rep resen ed by Mr P. A. Williams, with him Mr ,W. E. Thomas. In his final address Mr Williams said it was quite clear on the evidence that at the time of the killing the accused had been insane Mr Speight said the simple fact of the case was that a young woman had been robbed of her life and the question was whether or not her husband had taken her life. The jury had to decide whether Rau had committed the crime and whether he had been insane at the time he was alleged to have killed her. In his summing up his Honour said: “The question, so fully canvassed, is whether or not the accused was legally insane when he committed the alleged offence. I am unable after hearing the case to come to a conclusion that manslaughter was committed “This is not a question of whether or not the accused is normal. This is a case where the evidence of psychiatrists must be carefully considered. “The question we must ask ourselves is whether or not at ' the time Rau knew that what he was doing was wrong Has the defence shown that

“The question we must ask ourselves is whether or not at the time Rau knew that what he was doing was wrong Has the defence shown that Rau at the time was suffering from a disease of the mind as a result he did not know what he was doing," his Honour asked.