Jurors in the Nia Glassie murder trial at the High Court at Rotorua were urged today to give the three-year-old's mother "a fair go."
Panama Le'au'anae, who is defence counsel for 35-year-old Lisa Kuka, said: "That is all I ask of you."
In a brief opening address on the second day of the month-long trial, at which Kuka faces two manslaughter charges, Mr Le'au'anae said his client did not know what was going on in her home.
It was accepted that she was a hard worker who left early in the morning and often got home when the children were in bed.
"You may have to consider what did Lisa Kuku know and when did she find out," he told the jury.
Only one other defence lawyer took the opportunity to briefly address jurors. Craig Horsley, acting for Wiremu Curtis on nine counts including murder, wilfully ill-treating Nia, and various assaults, said among the key issues to consider were:
* Did these things occur?
* If they did, what was Wiremu Curtis's involvement - "was he a participant or was he merely present?"
* Were the alleged assaults part of exuberant game play or something more sinister with criminal intent?
When the first witnesses in the case were called to give evidence this afternoon, the court was told police visited the Curtis home late on the morning of July 20 on an unrelated matter.
The Crown has contended it was that evening that Nia suffered a fatal kick to the head by either Wiremu or his older brother Michael Curtis.
Wiremu Curtis and Nia Glassie were the only ones home when Constable Paula Wiperi questioned Curtis in the lounge. He told her Nia was his step-daughter.
The toddler was standing at the ranch-slider when the officers arrived. Curtis picked her up and sat her on his knee.
All three police witnesses said the child was quiet throughout their dealings with Wiremu Curtis and spent most of the time asleep.
Under cross-examination, Sergeant Paul Kirkby said she appeared to be quite lethargic and limp.
