Body in Lake Trial: Jury after judge gives closing statement

Kim Richmond's murder trial jury has retired to review its verdict.

Earlier Thursday morning, Judge Sally Fitzgerald delivered her findings in the lawsuit that accuses Richmond's 26-year-old partner, Cory Jefferies.

Richmond's body was found in a partial fetal position in the back seat of his silver Ford Ranger that was pulled from Lake Arapuni last year, 11 months after his disappearance. A plastic shopping bag covered his head and chest.

The trial lasted a week in the Hamilton High Court before a jury of seven women and five men

Fitzgerald gave the jury general guidelines for deciding the evidence.

She said that it was up to the Crown to prove that Jefferies had murdered Richmond.

"M. Jefferies acknowledges that he killed Miss Richmond by means of manslaughter, "Fitzgerald said," You must not feel influenced by feelings of guilt or prejudices.

She urged the jury to decide her verdict impartially and fairly, and based solely on the evidence presented to the court

Earlier this week, the court heard eight Crown witnesses

. The jury also viewed a video of an interview with Jefferies and Detective Constable Janine Post, shortly after the disappearance of the mother of three children

"The questions asked to the witness by a lawyer are not no evidence. "It is important that you do not"

"Normally, witnesses are only allowed to say what they have heard or seen [but] the specialists are allowed to you give an opinion. "

The only trial expert was Dr. Rexson Tse.

On Wednesday, he told the court that he was not able to identify the cause of the death of Richmond because his body had been in the water too long.He stated that the official cause was undetermined

He was not able to identify obvious external or internal injuries or broken fractures or broken bones.

He said that Richmond could have suffered a head injury "It is not uncommon for there to be only circumstantial evidence – this is n & rsquo; Is not a secondary or doubtful proof, "said Fitzgerald.

Thursday, defense lawyer Thomas Sutcliffe told the jury the actions of Jefferi the night Kim Richmond disappeared. reaction that led to his death, not a deliberate plan.

They both spent a typical day on the farm. Sutcliffe said that in the evening, July 31, 2016, Jefferies had traveled a few kilometers by car and put his ute on the door of the Arohena room.

"Whatever happened in this short trip back home, it was a spontaneous event with terrible consequences. "

The human experience tells us that breaking relationships can cause us to react in an extreme way, but that does not mean that Jefferies intends to kill Richmond," said Sutcliffe.

"Kim's death was a spontaneous and unplanned event."

Crown Attorney Ross Douch told the jury in his closing statement that Jefferies had killed Richmond because it was not a crime. he had not got what he wanted.

A couple breakup and an alleged relationship with the couple's neighbor "The ultimate questions are: does the evidence lead you to the conclusion that it wanted her dead or wanted to hurt her? "

Jefferies denies murder charge, but agrees that he is responsible for Richmond's death

" What should be the state Defendant Jefferies' spirit? "Douch posed in front of the jury

The state of mind of Jefferies is an important factor because it raises the question of whether he? he had a murderous intent, he said

Douch summed up the testimony heard earlier in the week, including GPS data from Jefferies phone the night Richmond disappeared, which indicated that he was moving at an accelerated pace towards the boat ramp.

His return to Mangare Road was slower, perhaps a run or walk. – Tips and Tricks