A Dunedin 14-year-old has been found guilty of manslaughter after the fatal stabbing of a schoolboy at the city’s bus hub.
The defendant, whose name remains suppressed, spent more than two weeks on trial in the High Court at Dunedin over the death of 16-year-old Enere Taana-McLaren in May last year.
The jury delivered its unanimous verdict this morning following more than two days of deliberation, finding the teen not guilty of murder.
Counsel Anne Stevens KC said a conviction would trigger a liability for deportation for her client so Justice Rob Osborne did not enter one.
The defendant was granted bail until sentencing in July and his name suppression was continued until that date.
The manslaughter verdict means jurors rejected self-defence but inferred the defendant did not intend to kill Enere or show the requisite recklessness to prove a murder charge.
The defendant looked down and gave a small nod after the verdict was read.
Several members of the jury cried as Justice Rob Osborne thanked them for their efforts in what was a particularly “demanding” case.
CCTV footage showed the defendant arrive at the bus hub on the afternoon of May 23.
The court heard he planned to change buses to visit a friend on the peninsula but within about 60 seconds Enere was critically injured by a deep stab wound to the stomach.
The victim made a derogatory comment about the boy’s clothing as he walked past but Crown prosecutor Richard Smith stressed to the jury in his closing address yesterday that it was the defendant turned around and walked the 20m back towards the victim rather than board his waiting bus or enter the police station.
“In real terms that’s what kicked off the physical confrontation," the prosecutor said.
“If he was actually frightened of Enere, actually scared he was going to get the bash . . . then he didn’t need to go back. What the Crown says is that [the defendant] was up for a fight."
The defendant can be seen reaching into a shoulder bag and brandishing a 31cm kitchen knife.
Mr Smith said there was no warning before he lunged at Enere.
“No fear, no hesitation, just straight on the attack,” he said.
The defendant pursued Enere as he backpedalled into the middle of Great King St.
The victim aimed a kick at the younger boy’s head, who then began swinging “wildly” with the knife.
After missing once, the defendant stabbed Enere with a second swing, severing a major vein.
The victim later died in hospital.
Much emphasis during the trial was placed on an incident nine months earlier in which the defendant was beaten and robbed by a group of boys in Halfway Bush Park.
The court heard he was later diagnosed with PTSD.
Counsel Anne Stevens KC said her client’s subsequent actions at the bus hub had to be considered by the jury through his eyes.
“The threat Enere posed to [the defendant] he saw through the lens of that trauma,” she said.
“He was on adrenaline, he was operating out of fear of being bashed. He did his best as a 13-year-old to keep himself safe.”
Psychiatrists said after the robbery, the defendant adopted a “gangster persona”, watching fighting videos online and implementing a physical training regime in preparation for any potential future violence.
Most significantly, he started carrying a knife when he was out in public.
The jury heard about an incident just weeks before the fatal stabbing in which he was confronted by a school bully in the bus hub and flashed the knife, which had been tucked into the waistband of his pants, defusing the situation.
Counsel Anne Stevens KC said the defendant expected a similar reaction when he presented it to Enere.
When it did not have the desired effect, she said her client tried to force the victim away, never meaning to injure or kill him.
The teenager said he did not realise such a stabbing could be fatal and continued to have nightmares about the incident.
The issues of suppression, sentencing date and the defendant’s custodial status will be addressed later this morning.
