A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Thirty-three witnesses are expected to give evidence for the Crown at a trial in May for two people accused of murdering Gisborne woman Maraea Smith.
Ms Smith, also known as Maraea Turnbull, died on her 36th birthday after being shot in Titoki Street, Elgin, at about 9.45pm on March 25last year.
George Hallet Walker, 36, and Mercedies Grace, 30, were in Auckland last May when they were charged with Ms Smith’s murder.
Walker and Grace appeared briefly in the High Court at Gisborne this morning. Justice Christine Grice signed off on the last pre-trial matter and confirmed the case was now ready for a scheduled two-week trial on May 15.
Crown prosecutor Clayton Walker told the court an initial list of 50 Crown witnesses had been reduced to 33. Defence counsels had consented to the Crown’s application for six of those witnesses to give their evidence via AV-link.
