Jury in police manslaughter case retires for night

George Harris left behind his wife, Nii Enoka, and a 3-year-old son, Julius. Photo / Richard Robinson

The jury in the High Court at Auckland has been sent home for the night after deliberating for two hours in the case of an off-duty police officer charged with manslaughter.

Clinton Lyall Hill, 34, has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of George Tipene Harris on October 3, 2004, who was allegedly assaulted in the back of a patrol car before escaping and being run over by a passing street cleaning truck, later dying from his injuries.

Hill, who is suspended from duty, also faces two further charges of assault and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Summing up the case today before the jury retired at 3pm, Justice Geoffrey Venning told them they had to be careful about accepting evidence from former constables Reuben Harris and Benson Murphy, who claim that Hill assaulted Mr Harris in the back of the police car.

"There is a marked difference between the evidence they have given in this court and the evidence they originally gave. It is clear that either the evidence they gave originally was false or the evidence they have given in this court is false," Justice Venning said.

The jury retired at 3pm and deliberated until 5pm before going home for the night.

They will resume in the morning.

- NZPA