KEY POINTS:
The man who was prosecutor at the Jack Nicholas murder trial has taken the rare step of speaking out because of attacks on the integrity of police involved in one of Hawkes Bay's biggest homicide inquiries.
Napier Crown prosecutor Russell Collins declined any comment on Wednesday night after a jury acquitted Haumoana man Murray Foreman.
But he said on Thursday he was happy to comment on allegations by defence counsel Bruce Squire QC that Operation Kaweka was "shoddy" and "selective", focusing on one individual and fitting a case around him.
Mr Collins said there were 400 suspects, and it was more than 18 months before police made an arrest.
"It is totally unfair to say that it was shoddy and selective," he said. "There was a number of suspects and they were investigated thoroughly before any decision was made to charge Mr Foreman. I was surprised the criticism was levelled at the police," he said.
"We all accept the verdict, but at the end it means that the jury was not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt. It in no way implies there was an inadequate investigation."
- HAWKES BAY TODAY
