Not guilty pleas entered over death of Nelson man James Whitikau Barton

Two people charged in connection with the death of James Whitikau Barton (pictured), have entered not-guilty pleas in the Wellington High Court.

The man accused of murdering James Whitikau Barton has denied the charge.

The 33-year-old, who has interim name suppression, entered a not-guilty plea to a charge of murder by stabbing or cutting, in the Wellington High Court today.

A 30-year-old woman charged with being an accessory after the fact to Barton’s murder has also denied the charge.

Barton, 48, was the victim of a “vicious assault” on the evening of November 11, police said.

Police were called to an address in Nelson’s Orchard St, Stoke, at 7pm and found Barton, known as Whiti, with critical injuries.

He was taken to hospital and died soon afterward.

Detective Inspector Lex Bruning said at the time that he believed the people involved in the assault were known to Barton.

A scene examination at the Orchard St property was completed soon afterward and a second address in Motueka was also searched by forensic teams.

NZME understands Barton was a member of the Mongrel Mob. Photographs shared widely on social media show him wearing gang insignia and many tributes contain references to the gang.

The murder accused was arrested after police found a white BMW station wagon, which they had asked the public to help them find.

The woman was remanded on bail to reappear in March, while the man remains in custody to appear again next year.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.