Dale Watene. Photo: supplied
Sandy Maree Graham (32) is charged with the murder of the 40-year-old at Otautau on April 16 in 2020.
George Hyde (24) is also on trial, and faces a charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder at Otautau between April 16 and 27 in 2020.
Justice Gerald Nation made his decision today to adjourn the trial after an in-chambers hearing at the High Court in Invercargill.
Full details of that hearing, at which both the accused were present, were suppressed.
The judge made his decision after Crown solicitor Mary-Jane Thomas, defence counsel for Graham, Paul Shamy, and defence counsel for Hyde, Fiona Guy-Kidd, QC, presented submissions.
The jury were dismissed before being empanelled.
