Hamilton District Court. Photo: RNZ
Tensions erupted in the Hamilton District Court on Monday when a man charged with murdering a 26-year-old and injuring another appeared in the dock.
About 50 whānau of the two victims who had packed the public gallery hurled abuse at the 41-year-old as he stood looking out at the courtroom.
"Motherf...-er," one yelled. "See what you've done to us."
Judge John Bergseng ordered the defendant be taken away temporarily while he asked for calm.
The judge told the five court security guards, accompanied by two police officers and Corrections guards, that they could eject anyone from the court if it was warranted.
A security guard addressed the gallery - filled to standing room only - in te reo and asked them to listen to the judge so that the man's first appearance could go ahead.
The defendant, who had interim name suppression, was brought back in as many of the whānau remained upset but quiet.
The Hamilton man faced two charges - one of murder and the other of causing grievous bodily harm to a second man, who was taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.
Emergency services were called to Beatty Street in the Hamilton suburb of Melville at 4.30am on Saturday.
The section of road on Beatty St in Melville that was cordoned off by police on Saturday after a man was found dead. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
They found a man dead at the scene and launched a homicide inquiry, including asking for sightings on Sunday of a car, and said they were looking for a third man.
When the accused entered the dock a second time, he stood with his head bowed and did not make eye contact with anyone in the gallery.
His assigned lawyer, Rosalind Brown, said she would not be seeking bail at today's hearing.
Jacinda Hamilton - appearing for the police - agreed to interim name suppression, to be reviewed when the man next appeared in court.
He was remanded in custody to appear in the High Court at Hamilton on 1 April.
As the accused was led away, many of the whānau yelled derogatory names, including calling him a "f**ken mongrel". Outside court, some family members hugged and wailed.
On Sunday, whānau posted on social media that the young man was "tragically taken from us". The man's siblings had gathered with his parents while they waited for the release of his body, the post said.
"[He] was not only a son, but he was many things, a brother, a father, uncle, cousin and friend to many and will be dearly missed by all of us.
"We would love to thank you all for your support and awhi as we as a whānau navigate through this mourning process."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
