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Home / New Zealand

Warriena Wright's mother criticises judge after her daughter's screams are played during Gable Tostee murder trial

NZ Herald
13 Oct, 2016 07:18 AM3 mins to read

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The mother of New Zealander Warriena Wright, who died after falling from the balcony of Gable Tostee's 14th floor Surfer's Paradise apartment, has criticised the judge in Tostee's murder trial saying she didn't want to hear her daughter's screams.

Merzabeth Tagpuno said in a statement released on her behalf that the "media ... have made this trip the most saddest, hardest trip I have ever had to endure", Australian media reported.

"I asked not to release the audio tapes, yet I was over-ruled by the judge. I did not want to hear my daughter screaming, 'No, no, no'. I did not want to remember her like that.

"I feel our family had been disrespected by the judge's ruling to release the audio tapes to the media. To those who want an exclusive from my family, we're saying 'No'. The judge gave you everything. That is enough.

"The media have hurt me so bad. When this is over I will go back to New Zealand. I want to be left alone. Please respect my privacy, I will not talk to anybody; just leave our family in peace.

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"No matter how this goes, I just want to go home."

Gold Coast physician Dianne Little told the Brisbane Supreme Court that Wright had more than 80 injuries after she fell from apartment in the early hours of August 8, 2014.

Her blood alcohol reading was estimated to be 0.156, or more than three times the safe driving limit.

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Tostee has been charged with Wright's murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Dr Little, the last witness in the Crown's case, told the court it was hard to conclusively determine Wright's height, because "there was severe disruption to her body due to trauma".

"She had severe injuries to all of her body that caused her death," she said.

"At the time she arrived in the mortuary her body was almost folded over on itself, her head was hyper-flexed down towards her trunk.

Discover more

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Tostee trial: Lawyers to have final say

13 Oct 09:43 PM
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Tostee acted in 'self-defence' says lawyer

14 Oct 01:01 AM
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Tostee 'dominated, taunted' Wright

14 Oct 05:49 PM
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Tostee trial: Jury deliberates

16 Oct 10:18 PM

"There was a piece of her jeans caught in a skull fracture."

Wright met Tostee just hours before her death, after the pair matched on Tinder.

Audio recorded by Tostee of the night appeared to show the pair fighting, and captured Wright's terrified screams, as Tostee allegedly refused to let her go home.

He locked her on his balcony, before she plunged to her death while trying to climb to the balcony below.

The Crown contends she was fleeing for her life in fear of Tostee when she fell.

Dr Little told the court that Ms Wright had "poorly defined" red marks on her neck but that they were "not consistent with any application of force".

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The Crown has contended Tostee strangled Ms Wright in the course of their struggle, in a part of the tape where her cries for help appear muffled.

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