Michael Thrift Murray, the man who admitted killing Head Hunters gang member Connor Morris in a street fight in West Auckland last year, has been found guilty of his murder.
A jury of eight men and four women reached a verdict yesterday afternoon in the High Court at Auckland, following a two-week trial.
As the verdict was read, Mr Morris' mother and sister hugged and cried. A relative called out to the jury: "Thank you, from our family."
Murray, 34, had claimed he acted in defence of his brother when he hit Mr Morris in the head with a sickle-like tool last August.
He pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he did not intend to hurt or kill Mr Morris. He was worried that Mr Morris would seriously hurt or kill his 22-year-old brother, Stanley Popata-Murray.