DEFENCE OPENED IN MURDER TRIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 184, 5 August 1931, Page 5

DEFENCE OPENED IN MURDER TRIAL.

“ RAMEKA DRIVEN TO STATE OF DELIRIUM.” Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, August 4. The trial of George Rameka on a charge of murdering Mrs Gwendoline Johnson was continued to-day. The case was described as a rather extraordinary* one by Mr Noble, in opening the defence. The fact that accused killed a. woman could not be disputed. “You have an eye witness,” said counsel, “but it does not follow that accused is guilty of the crime of murder.” It was the reason of a man which made him accountable for his actions, said counsel, and deprivation of reason acquitted him of crime. If a man was provoked into sudden frenzy so that he lost all self-control, then the jury’’ would be justified in finding him guilty of manslaughter only. The evidence was that the woman had been hacked about in maniacal fury. When accused was fifteen and a half y*ears old he went to the war in France, and there in two and a half years’ service he had his health permanently injured, continued Mr Noble Ever since then he had been in and out of hospital. “This man and this unhappy woman were the closest lovers,” continued counsel. “lie did not know she was married until after the tragedy-. Evidence would be called to show that there was talk of marriage between them. Then, without any' warning, there came sudden disillusionment and all accused’s dreams of love and happiness came clattering about his ears.” Unpardonable Insult. The treatment Rameka received so worked on his mind that he was prac-! tically driven into a state of delirium. He told the woman he was going to kill himself and she replied, “Go away,] you nigger. We do not want to have anything more to do with you.” If there was one thing more than anothe r that Maoris were proud of, said Mri Noble, it was that they were not “niggers.” To them that name was an unpardonable insult. Rameka went into a j frenzy and he remembered nothing more about it until in Auckland hospital he was charged with murder. He certainly did not know’ the nature and quality of his act, nor that what he was doing was wrong. The second ground of defence was that by’ the sudden insult accused was so provoked that he lost control of himself. Several witnesses gave evidence that on occasions accused acted strangely. A fellow worker said he seemed a bit queer. The hearing was adjourned.