Accused abuses police inspector and judge

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33875, 21 June 1975, Page 3

Accused abuses police inspector and judge

’ ('.’Veto Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. June 2(1. Anthony John Lewis Mason stood up in the Supreme Court at Auckland toda\ and created an outburst as his counsel finished cross-examining the last Crown witness in his trial on a charge of the murder of his wife.

Mason, reddening in the face, pointed to Chief Inspector B. James and said: “That bastard, he withheld my children.” then looked at Mr Justice Moller and said: “And so did you.”

His Honour and defence; I counsel firmly instructed: Mason to sit down, which he j did, as police orderlies at; ■the rear of the court moved! ! forward. Mason had asked his Honour if. against legal ad-i ! vice, he could ask Mr James a question. His Honour had

'(replied that he could not, Hand directed him to sit down Hand be quiet. ; It was then that Mason 11 made his outburst. After being told to sit down, he: ; muttered to himself as the i Crown Prosecutor (Mr D. S. Morris) re-examined Mr James for three minutes and then closed the Crown case.

Defence case Mason is charged with thei murder of his wife, Dawn Frances Neyenhuizen, at MuI riwai on October 11 last: year, and has pleaded not; i guilty. Hjs counsel, Mr B. J. j Hart, opening the defence: lease this afternoon, said that: I the trial had been an uncom- ; monly long one, but his: I client did not have to prove! | anything. The Crown had tol prove his guilt. The Crown had interviewed hundreds of possible; witnesses but had presented.

only a handful — those' which best suited the Crown’s purpose, Mr Hart| said. The Crown’s case, he said, was fragile — as in the example of a Waimauku garage proprietor. In his crossexamination, it had turned! out to be a case of mistaken identity. If that man was? proved wrong, then what credence could be given to, the evidence of others, who I

had fleeting glances and given varying evidence of clothing, visors, and helmets? ‘.Jigsaw puzzle’ The defence would call, evidence from people whol saw someone on a, motor-cycle with pack-:, ages or rifles on the back. There were no less than.four, relevant sightings in the! Muriwai area in October of riders carrying rifles. The Crown had, said Mr Hart, completed a jigsaw” puzzle “in a highly selective fashion,” of a picture which said that Mason rode to Mu-

riwai and killed his wife.: But most of the focal pieces were missing from the: Crown’s case. The Crown's contention was that Mason was so desperate to get the cilstody of the children he loved that he killed their mother and endangered the life of the youngest child. “That motive just does not make sense. It does not add up,” Mr Hart said. Mr Gerhard Neyenhuizen, he said, was conveniently! absent from the trial, and from jurisdiction had a lotmore to gain from the unfortunate woman’s death. Evidence had been given in! the present trial of an insurance policy. In Mr Neyenhuizen’s evidence irr the' lower court, there was not. one word expressed by him; of-an insurance policy. 40 witnesses Mr Hart said he would call witnesses in three 1

stages. The first would relate to suspicious sightings or happenings before the day of the shooting. The second would be the evidence of people who saw motorcycles in varying situations: at Muriwai on October 11. ’The third would give evi- ; dence on general matters, including Mr Neyenhuizen. A motor-cyclist was seen, jat Cornwallis on October 11. he said, and the rider, who’ did not in any way correspond to Mason, had a rifle over his shoulder. Mr Hart told his Honour he would call between 40 and 60 witnesses for the defence.