Judiciary
THE trial of a man accused of murdering British backpacker Grace Millane in the New Zealand city of Auckland in 2018 started with jury selection on Monday.
The name of the 27-year-old allegedly accused of murdering the 21-year-old tourist between Dec. 1 and 2 Dec. 2, 2018 is suppressed by the court and cannot be reported.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges at a court appearance in January.
Millane went missing on the eve of her 22nd birthday, less than a week after she arrived in New Zealand while travelling in late November.
She was last seen with the accused entering a hotel in central Auckland late on Dec 1.
Her body was discovered a week later in the bush about 25 kilometres from central Auckland, a day after the accused was taken into custody.
“Her disappearance, followed by confirmation of her death, excited intense media attention and public comment both here and overseas,’’ Justice Simon Moore told potential jurors according to Radio New Zealand.
“Vigils in her memory were held across the country and there were marches and other public events,’’ the judge noted.
He warned that those who had attended one of the vigils were not allowed to serve on the jury.
An opening statement is expected on Wednesday. The trial is expected to last five weeks, and the court is to hear 36 witnesses. (dpa/NAN)
– Nov. 4, 2019 @ 15:25 GMT |
Tags: Jury selected in British backpacker Grace Millane murder trial
