Rotorua murder trial: Accused 'killed in self defence'

The lawyer for the man accused of murdering Raukawa Newton, of Rotorua, has told the jury he acted in self defence.
Christopher Allan Heenan, a 51-year-old artist, carver and tattooist, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Newton at Rotorua on October 11, 2007.
Heenan is on trial in the High Court at Rotorua.
In his closing address yesterday, Heenan's lawyer John Bergseng reminded the jury they had heard evidence that Heenan had claimed to several people Mr Newton had stabbed him first.
It is the Crown's contention Heenan stabbed Mr Newton then inflicted knife wounds on himself.
However, Mr Bergseng said police had been so concerned about the seriousness of Heenan's condition and his distressed state when they found him at his home that a dying declaration was taken from him in the ambulance en route to hospital.
In this Heenan had said he had stabbed someone inside his house, "that he gave it to him" as he [the deceased] had tried to hurt him.
"He said he had done this because he ... 'stabbed me'," Mr Bergseng said.
"He made it clear he was stabbed, that this was consistent with him acting in self defence."
Self defence was a common theme running through conversations Heenan had with people over following days, including security guards and a nurse.
Heenan had also said he had blacked out but did remember Mr Newton coming at him with a knife.
Referring to Mr Newton's previous mental condition, Mr Bergseng said while it was accepted it had stabilised in recent years, he had continued to be a heavy cannabis user.
In the days before his death, Mr Newton had separated from his partner, had been seen to kick a fence and put his head through a trellis.
Mr Bergseng queried why it had taken Heenan's son almost two years to tell police that his father had confessed to him that he killed Mr Newton.
Mr Bergseng said it would have been impossible for an injury on Heenan's left forearm to have been self inflicted.
Rotorua Crown Solicitor Fletcher Pilditch said Heenan had told his son it was "that ... nigger conjuring up the gods" that led to the events that unfolded at his home more than three years ago.
The jury has heard Heenan had been stabbed too but Mr Pilditch said it was the Crown's contention his wounds were self-inflicted, that no third party had been involved.
He said the case was straightforward - Heenan had taken a knife and stabbed Mr Newton in the shoulder and neck because he intended to kill him.
He dismissed the possibility Heenan had acted in self defence.
Justice Timothy Brewer will sum up today.