Sword case legal aid $935,000

The murder trials of Antonie Dixon, including a retrial following court errors, cost a total of $935,000, figures made public yesterday show.

The legal aid bill for Dixon's defence team in the retrial last August was $199,012, including $17,000 for the successful Court of Appeal hearing in 2007.

Legal aid for Dixon in the first trial was $212,510 and the Crown prosecution bill for both trials was $525,804.

Dixon was found dead in his Paremoremo Prison cell in February. His death is being investigated by the Prison Inspectorate.

Dixon, a methamphetamine addict, was found guilty in May 2005 of murdering James Te Aute in January 2003.

Dixon also attacked Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler with a samurai sword, totally or partially severing their hands, on the same day.

He was sentenced to life in prison with a 20-year non-parole.

Those convictions were quashed when an appeal found errors in the trial.

However, the second trial found Dixon guilty of the same charges and he was re-sentenced.

The reason for the retrial related to errors Justice Judith Potter made in directing jurors during her summing up at the first trial in 2005.

The Court of Appeal found the senior High Court judge did not properly instruct the jury on the law relating to insanity and failed to assist the jury on how intoxication could have affected any mental disorder Dixon may have had.

Justice Potter had also failed to offer the jury the option of finding Dixon guilty of manslaughter, so the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial.

However, the second trial was nearly derailed when a man allegedly turned up at the juror's home midway through the Dixon trial. The juror was discharged from jury duty when he told police of the alleged bribe and the man was subsequently charged.

The remaining 11 jurors found Dixon guilty of murdering James Te Aute of Auckland and causing grievous bodily harm to Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler - but never knew the reason why the juror was discharged.

The jury was also under 24-hour police protection for the final two weeks of the retrial.