Terrifying screams at 3am

A woman living beside a South Auckland drug house told a jury yesterday of hearing "terrifying screaming" the night 15-year-old Michael Heremaia was killed.

The Crown says that the youngster, who worked selling cannabis at the King Cobra house, was stabbed more than 30 times in an internal gang conflict over the running of the "tinnie house".

Benjamin Red Tumahai has already pleaded guilty to the youth's murder and wounding another man, Michael George Brown Afeaki, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Before the High Court at Auckland are James Michael Leuluaialii, 26, of Orakei and Ofisa Andrew Kopelani, 23, of Mangere, both accused of involvement in the murder.

They are also charged with the attempted murder of Mr Afeaki or alternatively wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Yesterday a neighbour, Coralie Dawn Leef, told the jury of being woken about 3am by terrifying screaming and yelling that went on for five or six minutes at the drug house next door.

Ms Leef also heard two voices in the house, one of them saying "hold him".

Leuluaialii's lawyer, Geoff Wells, asked her if she later told a police officer she heard someone say "Hold him down tight. Get him in the car", but she said she did not recall saying anything about "putting him in the car".

Ms Leef said she waited for a while in the garage, where she had been sleeping, before joining other members of the household in the main dwelling watching the tinnie house.

She said she saw a car reverse down the driveway and the driver go into the house. Three men came out, and after more coming and going, they drove off.

The Crown says that Kopelani was the driver and Leuluaialii and Tumahai were inside the drug house.