Trial told man seen as danger

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 3

Trial told man seen as danger

PA -;( : ! Auckland Hospita authorities tried to commit a “potentially dangerous” man to a mental hospital the day he killed two persons and seriously injured two others the High Court at Auckland! heard yesterday. ilb . John Sofe Papalii, aged 51, a sickness beneficiary, stands’ trial on charges of the nwrder of Bruce Edward Abbot Gray on June 3 last! year and Margaret (Moengaroa on June 4.! I"! ;■ i He i also- faces charges of, wounding two others on June 4 j’with intent to cause : grievous bodily harm. 'lll

His counsel, Mr Michael Cato, told Mr Justice Robertson and a jury that it i wak not disputed that Papalii committed the actions,(but his defence was insanity. ! ,A (Carrington Hospital social : I; worker, Edgar Rout,’said that a meeting of! clinical heads on the morning! of the - killings that I decided Papalii should tie, recommitted to the ineptal. hospital because nisi condition was

deteriorating. j Mr Rout said he went looking for Papalii, whom he had known since 1974, at his boarding house in Herne Bay, through Pon- j sonby streets and in two local pubs. He had to see him physically; before he could set in motion the application for his committal. He finally found him at the boarding house and finished talking with him ■ at 4.45 p.m. ; It was too late to file an application in the District i Court as he would not be (able to locate a Judge, he 1 ’said.l (J:,’' i 'i | He intended to go to the, court first thing the; next! morning. ; I The (Crown prosecutor, Mr Michael Russin, in his( opening address, said Pa-, palii thatjevening became, ! concerned about his body aches. (Other lodgers, j goaded him, telling him! he was going to die. , He’obtained a kitchen; keyutfidpr ’ the pretext of; using the telephone and took a knife. He walked along Jervois Road to-; wards the city and asked an old man, Mr Gray; what he 'was doing.

! Mr Gray swore at him , and told him. he was wait--1 ing for a bus. Papalii sat down near him and rolled and smoked a cigarette. He then walked towards Mr Gray, stabbed him in the chest, stepped back and stabbed ' him again below the throat. He walked off as Mr Gray, who died that night in Auckland Hospital, staggered away. || Mr Russin!said Papalii returned to the boardinghouse, concealed th(e knife in a hallway drawer, and watched television. 1 He then went to wake Miss Moengaroa who chastised him then got up to go to the toilet arid washed her hands. He stabbed her twice. She turned to fight back arid he stabbed her, again three or four times. (| . Two other- residents were stabbed when they came to her rescue. i

Papalii! walked off along Jervois Road, sat bn a seat, and put the knife under the seat. '|| ! He was found there by the police. ( The hearing is proceeding.' ;!