26-year-old Richard Mathew Coburn was found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder in the High Court at Hamilton following the death of his partner, Paige Tutemahurangi, in an incident at their home on July 1 2023.
Despite admitting to causing Tutemahurangi’s death, Coburn’s defense argued that he had not anticipated that his actions would be fatal, suggesting manslaughter as the more appropriate charge.
A jury of seven men and five women, who delivered the verdict around midday today.
Justice Mary Peters commended the Tutemahurangi family for the dignity with which they conducted themselves throughout the trial.
The trial shed light on the events leading to Tutemahurangi’s death, with Coburn’s Counsel suggesting that the fatal outcome was unforeseen by Coburn, who had engaged in physical violence towards Tutemahurangi in the past without such dire consequences.
Coburn’s immediate actions after realising the severity of Tutemahurangi’s condition—attempting to clean her and call emergency services—were presented as evidence of his shock and regret, rather than premeditated murder.
However, the Crown Prosecutor highlighted Coburn’s deliberate actions and the physical evidence indicating a violent assault, saying there was a difference between post-event regret and criminal intent at the time of the attack. The prosecution also pointed to Coburn’s history of violence towards Tutemahurangi and the delayed emergency response as factors underscoring the gravity of his actions.
Coburn was convicted of manslaughter and remanded in custody for sentencing in June.
I wonder if the courts ever get tired from splitting all those hairs 🤔
Next time you murder someone, be sure to wipe the victim and crime scene clean so the judge will know how full of “shock and regret” you are.
Yeah, just imagine how many times hairs get halved, quartered and quartered again, if its politician or some wealthy elite in the dock. No real justice that I can see, in the West…..