PLEA OF FRENZY

Evening Star, Issue 20863, 5 August 1931, Page 3

PLEA OF FRENZY

RAMEKA MURDER TRIAL [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. August 4. Tho trial of Pahara llameka Kere (George llameka) aged thirty-nine, on a charge of murdering Gwendoline Alice Johnson on tho morning of June 2d was continued in the _ Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Smith and a jury. Tho case was described as a rather extraordinary one by Mr Noble, in opening tho defence. Tho fact that the accused had killed the woman could not bo disputed, “ You havo an eye-wit-ness,” said counsel, “ but it docs not follow that tho accused is guilty of the crime of murder.” It was tho reason of a man which made him accountable for his actions, said counsel, and the deprivation of reason acquitted him of a crime. If a man' was provoked into a sudden frenzy so that ho lost all selfcontrol, then tho jury would be justified in finding him guilty of manslaughter only. Tho evidence was that the woman had been hacked about in a maniacal fury. When tho accused was 15’- years old ho wont to the war in France, and there, in two-and a-half years’ service, ho had his health perinancntly injured. Frcr since then ho had been in and out of hospital. “ This man and this unhappy woman,” continued Mr -Noble, “ were the closest lovers. Ho did not know that sho was married until after tho tragedy.” Evidence'would bo called to show that there was talk of marriage between them. Then witnout any warning, there came sudden disillusionment and the accused’s dreams of love and happiness came clattering about his ears. Tho treatment that llameka received had so worked on ins mind tiiat he was practically driven to a state of delirium. He told the woman that he was going to kill himself, end she replied: “ Go away, you nigger. Wo do not want to have anything more to do with yon.” If there was one thing more than another that the Maoris were proud of, said Mr Noble, it was that they were not “ niggers.” To them the name was an unpardonable insult. llameka went into a frenzy and ho remembered nothing more about it until, in the Auckland Hospital, ho was charged with murder. He certainly did not know tho nature and quality of his act, nor that what he was doing was wrong. A second ground of defence was that by a sudden insult tho accused was so provoked that ho lost control of himself.

Several witnesses nave evidence that on occasions the accused acted strangely. A fellow worker said he seemed “ a bit queer.’’ The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow.