A High Court judge has told a jury to ensure graphic pictures of a woman killed in a dental centre fire last year do not prejudice them against the man accused of her murder.
Justice Paul Heath was speaking to the jury selected for the trial at the
High Court in Auckland of Chul Jun Cho.
Cho is accused of murdering his de facto partner Misook Kim, who died in February last year in a fire at the Toothcare West dental surgery in Henderson, west Auckland.
The dental surgery was owned by Cho's brother-in-law Choonsik Moon.
Cho is also charged with attempting to murder Mr Moon and the arson of the dental surgery.
Justice Heath said one of the issues in the trial would be what caused the fire, and as a result they would see pictures of Ms Kim's body in the building.
"(The pictures) are graphic and some of you will no doubt find them distressing," Justice Heath told the jury of eight women and four men.
"But the fact that you will be seeing distressing photos should not in any way be held against Mr Cho."
Crown prosecutor Christine Gordon will open the case against Cho tomorrow.
Thirty-nine witnesses are due to present evidence for the Crown at the trial, which is scheduled for two to three weeks.
- NZPA
