Murder charges cut to manslaughter

Murder charges have been reduced to manslaughter against two men over the death of Shaun Martin William Philip Finnerty-Gallagher in a Christchurch park last year.

Justice Graham Panckhurst announced his decision on the 15th day of the trial of Sonny Avon Rehu, 32, and Thomas Tihema Christie, 26, in the High Court in Christchurch today.

They have denied manslaughter and indecently assaulting the 16-year-old victim.

Justice Panckhurst's decision followed legal argument in the absence of the jury on Friday afternoon.

The decision followed days of medical evidence about Mr Finnerty-Gallagher, a young social welfare runaway, being drunk at the park and dying of positional asphyxiation from the way he was lying after an alleged beating from the two accused.

The trial was told that the injuries the youth received, including a mild brain injury and a broken nose, would not have been life threatening.

Two further defence witnesses for Christie were heard this morning, ending the hearing of all evidence in the trial.

Prosecutor Mark Zarifeh then began his closing address saying Christie started the violence against the youth.

He was a principal offender in what happened, and Rehu had played an active part in the assault, and was involved in stripping the youth.

Both men had been angry about Mr Finnerty-Gallagher "narking" after being caught during a shoplifting raid on a liquor outlet.

The two defence counsel will give their closing addresses before Justice Panckhurst sums up for the jury, possibly tomorrow.

- NZPA