AUCKLAND MURDER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 August 1931, Page 7

AUCKLAND MURDER

TRIAL OF RAMEKA ACCUSED IN THE BOX EVIDENCE BY MENTAL EXPERTS (By Telegraph—Press Association) AUCKLAND, sth August. At the trial to-day of George Rajncktt, charged with the murder of Mrs Johnson, accused in further evidence said lie bought a knife, because lie thought the poison would not be enough to take his life. Ho intended to take the poison in Mrs Johnson’s presence to prove that lie was game enough to commit suicide. Hu drunk some of the poison before lie opened the door of her room, and his throat and stomach were burning. Then, speaking in good English, the accused said: “She looked at me and said to me, ‘What :lo you want here, yon black nigger V At that instant I didn't know what T was doing; I just simply went oil my head. That is all.” Cross-examined by the Crown Prosecutor, accused said that after lie first met Mrs Johnson lie used to see her every night. He did not know how strong tins poison was nor how many people the contents of the bottle lie bought would kill. He thought of the knife after lie reached home on the night before the tragedy. If the poison was not sufficient he intended to stab himself with tile knife in the taxi cab. He drank part of the poison at Mrs Keesing’s, outside, fully intending to drink the rest after he lmd lmd it out with Mrs Johnson. He went to her room but did not remember seeing the knife after he put it in his pocket at the door. He did not remember anything from the time lie was at Mrs Johnson’s door till in hospital. Dr. Beattie said lie formed the eonelusion that there was a probability of a minor epileptic condition in accused. Witness gained the impression that there was a certain amount of mental instability. He found Maoris as a rule emotional and intensely sensitive. This closed the case for the defence. The Crown called Dr. Buchanan, Superintendent of Auckland Mental Hospital, who said Rameka had not given him any symptoms of loss of memory or giddiness. In his opinion there was no justification for the theory that accused was an epileptic. He did not think Rameka had the loss of memory at the time of the. tragedy he claimed to have. In the opinion of witness the act in the bedroom was a conscious act . Corroborative evidence was given by other mental experts. This Day. This morning Mr W. Noblo, for the prisoner, ana Mr V. It. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor addrossed the jury and Mr Justice Smith began his summing up. He told the. jury that no distinction was to bo drawn between Maoris and Europeans regarding tlio standard of conduct required when an insult was offered that was sufficient to deprive a person of self-control. As far as punishment was concerned, that was a matter in which racial considerations might be taken into account. The Judge said that a vital part of tlio rase was whether accused or deceased’s daughter, who was the only eye-witness, was telling the truth about what happened in the bedroom. Was a tttu’nt ever made to provoke accused? Had ho takon any poison before ho entered the .room,, or did ho take the bottle out'of his pocket after he went in? Did ho take a knife from his pocket inside the room? The summing-up ended at 1.20 p.m.