Man to fight murder charge laid over Hamilton gang member's death

Mongrel Mob member Deiderick John Grant, known as DJ Rogue, was allegedly murdered in June last year. Photo / Supplied

A Hastings man charged over the death of a senior Mongrel Mob member which saw a massive funeral and sparked several breaches at managed isolation facilities has lost his bid for name suppression.

Deiderick John Grant, known as DJ Rogue, was killed at a Slim St, Hamilton, property on June 5, last year.

Today, John Kina Edwards, 54, appeared in the High Court at Hamilton before Justice Graham Lang.

Lang asked if he would seek legal representation given he was facing a charge of murdering the 57-year-old but Edwards repeatedly said he wanted to represent himself.

Edwards also told Justice Lang that he wanted to keep name suppression as he had been "physically attacked" in prison.

However, the judge said that reason didn't meet the high threshold to keep an accused's name suppressed, thereby letting the suppression lapse.

A trial date of February 21, next year was also set.

Mongrel Mob member Deiderick John Grant, known as DJ Rogue, was allegedly murdered in June last year. Photo / Supplied

Edwards was remanded in further custody for a case review hearing in October.

Grant's death saw a large gathering of fellow Mongrel Mob members in Hamilton for his funeral.

It also sparked several Covid breaches with members of Grant's Melbourne-based family breaking out of quarantine.

The pair, aged 8 and 19, were given strict instructions to follow as part of their compassionate exemption, which included remaining in their vehicle on the journey to Hamilton and to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) if they got out.

They were also understood to have been told to stay in the vehicle during the tangi.

They were then required, with their other family members, to return to the quarantine hotel, the Pullman, in Auckland afterwards.

Instead, the pair fled.