MURDER CHARGE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20285, 20 April 1934, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE.

Case Against Fish-curer Dismissed. / MANSLAUGHTER ALLEGED. Per Press Association AUCKLAND, April 19. Christopher Charles Brown, aped twenty-two, a fish curer. appeared in the Police Court to-day. charged with the murder, and alternatively with the manslaughter, of Stephen Walter Carter on March 31. The manslaughter charge was proceeded with first. Evidence was given that accused and Carter quarrelled in a restaurant I and went’ outside to fight it out. Car- 1 ter was knocked down, and did not ! rise again. A doctor said there were three distinct fractures of the skull. One witness said accused was sober, but had had enough drink to make him nasty. When deceased fell first his head struck the ground. He was regaining his feet when Brown struck him again. At the conclusion of the evidence, the charge of murder was dismissed for want of prosecution. Counsel submitted that a prima facie case had not been made out in the case of manslaughter and that the affair seemed to be almost pure misadventure. The Magistrate said that he considered that the police had made out a i prima facie case. The evidence was I that the men were fighting in a public ! ' place. It seemed that accused knock- I I ed deceased down and death ensued ! as the result of the fall. ! Accused pleaded not guilty to the ! [ charge of manslaughter and was com- I , mit ted to the Supreme Court for trial, i I Bail was allowed in one surety of j | £SOO. !