New Zealand has some of the worst rates of family violence and abuse. Addressing those, especially in the courtroom, is about more than punishment. Teuila Fuatai reports. Whaea Michelle is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff. Tucked away on the third floor of the Auckland District Court house … Read more
If you’re like most New Zealanders, you probably don’t know the name of the country’s most powerful judge. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of, writes University of Otago law lecturer Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere. Here’s a test for you: name New Zealand’s chief justice. Click on the link to find out the answer! Did you … Read more
With its use criticised in cases like Grace Millane’s, criminology lecturer Dr Samantha Keene outlines the many reasons why the ‘rough sex’ defence is so problematic. Internationally, concerns are being raised about the increasing use of the “rough sex gone wrong” claim in courtroom defences to murder. Campaigners at We Can’t Consent To This point … Read more
David and Anne Clarkson have been reporting on the antics of the Christchurch courthouse for 17 years. They retired in December, and leave behind a legacy of court reporting that will be hard to match. In my first year as a journalism student I watched the beginning of a murder trial from the media bench … Read more
A nightmarish and near-fatal high-speed pursuit of a New Zealand Chinese family concluded with a judge rejecting the prosecution’s request for hate crime sentencing. Tze Ming Mok discusses why New Zealand’s approach to hate crime is utterly useless. I don’t like horror movies. I could only watch Get Out while on a plane, on a … Read more
The man accused of killing 50 worshippers at mosques in Christchurch will be going on trial this year, which means media organisations will have difficult decisions to make. Craig McCulloch reports in this piece first published on Radio NZ. Media outlets have begun discussions on how best to cover the court case of the accused … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Man appears in court charged with murder of British backpacker Grace Millane, little progress made on child poverty, and National responds to UN pact critics. A 26 year old man has appeared in court, charged with the murder of 22 year old British backpacker Grace Millane. The … Read more