KEY POINTS:
The case against Liam James Reid was "by no means overwhelming - it creaks and groans and comes apart at the seams", his lawyer said in his closing address to the jury on day 16 of his murder trial.
Reid, 36, denies raping and murdering Emma Agnew, 20, in Christchurch in November last year and raping, sexually violating, robbing and attempting to murder a 21-year-old student in Dunedin nine days later.
Counsel David Bunce told the Christchurch High Court jury: "The Crown has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Mr Reid."
He said that in his two days of giving evidence in his defence, Reid had presented a far more genuine picture of who he was than the Crown had portrayed, Christchurch Court News website reported.
He acknowledged that the court was dealing with "extremely unpleasant crimes" in the rape and murder of Emma Agnew and a sex attack on a 21-year-old woman in Dunedin nine days later. Reid denies being responsible for either attack.
He said aspects of 36-year-old Reid's appearance, behaviour and language would be outside the jurors' taste or experience, but asked for them to be fair-minded.
He spoke of the forensic evidence against Reid and referred to a pubic-like hair in Miss Agnew's car having Reid's DNA. He said it was clear it was his hair but it was not known how or when it was deposited.
"Hair goes to places you have never been."
He said the Crown should be blushing over its claim that Reid's former partner had been "candid, forthright, and frank" in her evidence.
"At every conceivable opportunity she put the boot in," Mr Bunce said.
He also took issue with the Dunedin complainant's identification of Reid. He said she had not recalled Reid's tattoos yet the court has been told he has them on his chest, back, neck, arms and legs.
He referred to Reid's "combative nature" in giving his evidence.
Mr Bunce's closing address took two hours. Justice Lester Chisholm was to sum up at 1pm before sending the jury out to consider its six verdicts.
- NZPA
