KEY POINTS:
The defence today opened its case in the trial of a 32-year-old mother and her 27-year-old partner for murdering the woman's three-year-old son.
Today Dr James Ferris, an experienced pathologist who was involved with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of Azaria Chamberlain in Australia and gave evidence for the Crown against convicted Dunedin murderer David Bain, was called by the defence.
The south Auckland pair, whose names are suppressed, are also accused of wilful ill-treatment and failing to seek medical treatment for the boy who died on February 1 last year, the day after being taken by ambulance from his Otara home.
The Crown has told the High Court in Auckland that the boy died after regularly soiling himself, and that the couple delayed calling the ambulance for fear of being implicated.
The trial before a jury of seven women and five men is expected to conclude this week.
- NZPA
