Lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr QC has had acid thrown over her car and been subject to "truckloads" of hate mail because she represented convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston, according to a media report.
A source said Ms Ablett-Kerr also received death threats, The Sunday News reported.
Weatherston, 33, was convicted last month for his frenzied attack on his former girlfriend Sophie Elliott in January 2008, in which he stabbed her 216 times.
During his High Court trial, Weatherston's seemingly smug attitude sparked talkback callers, letters to newspapers and media commentators to question how Ms Ablett-Kerr could defend him.
Ms Ablett-Kerr argued Weatherston was guilty of manslaughter but not murder, using the defence of provocation.
She did not return calls from the paper but Greg King, who assisted her in the trial, admitted his colleague had suffered an "unprecedented level of attack".
There were "abusive communications by the truckload", he said.
Police confirmed that Ms Ablett-Kerr's car was attacked with acid during the trial. She was not under guard but they were willing to offer protection if the campaign escalated.
Christchurch and Dunedin police told NZPA they were unaware of any incidents and Ms Ablett-Kerr was unavailable for comment.
- NZPA
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