Accused man questioned after drug dose

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 2

Accused man questioned after drug dose

' PA Hamilton A wounded man accused of shooting his wife’s male visitor had been given a painkilling drug before he admitted the crime to a police detective, the Supreme Court at Hamilton heard yesterday. A Cambridge man, aged 31, appeared on a charge of attempted murder, and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The man, who has been granted interim suppression of name, has denied the charges which relate to events on August 19, 1978. at a Roto-O-Rangi farm cottage.

During the second day of the trial before Mr Justice Bisson yesterday, Detective Constable Hodgson said that he had interviewed, the accused at Waikato Hospital on the night of the shooting. The accused is alleged to have gone to the farm cottage where his wife and the complainant were, and shot the complainant twice. The wife then shot the accused, wounding him in the hand, the court was told. Mr Hodgson told the accused during the hospital interview that he wanted to know what had happened that night. The accused said that he had shot the other man, and his wife had shot him. Mr Hodgson said that he was not aware the accused was under any medication at the time of the interview. “He was pale and at times would shake. The accused did not seem to have difficulty concentrating on my questions, judging by the replies he gave.” Dr L. Chin, an anaesthetic specialist at Waikato Hospital, who was the relieving duty doctor at Cambridge on the night of the shooting, told the court that he had seen the accused about 9 p.m. He was distressed and in pain, and said he had been shot. Dr Chin said that the accused was wounded in the hand, and had small perforations to the side of the body.

' He gave the accused “an average” dose of pethedine before putting him in an ambulance for Waikato Hospital. He estimated the drug would have its maximum ef-

feet an hour and a half later. Dr Chin said that he had not seen the accused just before his questioning by Mr Hodgson, and could n,ot state what effect the drug had had on the accused’s mental state. Dr Chin had gone to Waikato Hospital with the accused, and left soon afterwards to meet another ambulance carrying the complainant to hospital. Mr Hodgson’s evidence had previously been objected to, by defence counsel (Mr S. P. Williams) but his Honour had ruled it admissible. Evidence by Detective Sergeant R. Sowerby from an interview with the accused two days after the shooting was objected to. The case continues.