Verdict in the Northland murder trial expected today

A verdict on whether or not Nicky Dodd is guilty of murdering John Harris is expected later today. Photo/John Stone

A Northland man charged with fatally shooting a gang member is expected to learn his fate today.The jury in the three-week trial of Nicky Dodd is expected to retire just before lunch today after Justice Ailsa Duffy sums up the case in the High Court at Whangārei.

Dodd, 43, is charged with shooting John Henry Harris who was standing outside a house on Mower Rd, north of Whangārei, in October 2016.

Harris was taken to the St John Ambulance station on Western Hills Drive in Whangārei in a critical condition by friends but died from the single gunshot wound.

In her closing address to the jury yesterday, Crown prosecutor Nicole Dore said the fatal shot that killed Harris was fired by Dodd when he knew there were people gathered outside the Mower Rd property.

Dore said the evidence of 11 witnesses who told the jury they heard only one shot that morning was consistent and said the shot could only have come from one direction.

In his police interview, Dodd admitted firing a shot but said it was not aimed at anyone but was rather a scare tactic after gang members let off two shots outside the house of his brother Adam Dodd in Kensington hours earlier.

But Dore said an obvious way of scaring people was to fire in the air, not where people had gathered.

Dodd would not stash his car and drive to a public toilet for an associate to pick him up after the shooting if his actions were only intended to scare people off, she told the jury.

"He was clearly aware that there were people present at the property. Where he shot is exactly where he saw people," Dore said.

Defence lawyer Julie-Anne Kincade told the jury they could not be sure the shot that killed Harris came from Dodd as witnesses heard more than one shot fired.

She said at no time did Dodd see Harris, had any intention of hurting anybody, or aimed his firearm at anyone.

Dodd and Harris were friends and the former acknowledged his death during the police interview, Kincade said.

Dodd was not wearing a balaclava, he had no intention of going to Mower Rd, and that his action was designed as a scare tactic only, she said.

Kincade said what happened outside Adam Dodd's house in Kensington was far worse.