Banjo murder jury retires for second night

An Auckland High Court jury has retired for a second night without reaching a verdict in the trial of a Hungarian tourist who allegedly used a banjo to beat and throttle a 69-year-old Auckland man.

Ferdinand Ambach, 32, a dive master in Hungary, has denied murdering Ronald Brown at his Onehunga home in suburban Auckland.

The jurors spent 3-1/2 hours deliberating yesterday and another three hours this afternoon after watching a replay of the video of a three-hour police interview with the accused.

They will resume again at 9am tomorrow.

Mr Brown's battered body was found at his flat in the early hours of December 7, 2007. He died three days later in hospital after his life support was switched off.

The jury, three men and nine women, was told Mr Brown was assaulted with a 2.7kg banjo.

The Crown said he was struck a number of blows on the head before Ambach rammed the broken off neck of the banjo down his throat.

Ambach met Mr Brown in 306 Bar in Onehunga, before he went back to his flat.

The jury was told there was a misunderstanding between the men, with Mr Brown wrongly thinking Ambach was gay and a heated argument broke out between them.

- NZPA