A High Court judge has declined to dismiss a case against two former police officers charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to the 1985 murder conviction of Alan Hall. Justice Ian Gault ruled against the defense’s application for dismissal at a judge-alone trial in Auckland, according to 1News.
Case Background and Allegations of Withheld Evidence
The two defendants, whose identities remain suppressed, face charges stemming from their alleged roles in withholding evidence during the trial of Alan Hall for the murder of Arthur Easton in Papakura. The Crown argues that the officers deliberately omitted a specific description of a potential offender provided by witness Ronald Turner. While Turner initially described the man he saw near the crime scene as Māori, this information was not presented to the jury during Hall’s original trial or subsequent appeals. Alan Hall is Pākehā.
The significance of these proceedings is tied to the 2022 Supreme Court decision that quashed Hall’s murder conviction, citing a substantial miscarriage of justice. Following his exoneration, Hall, who spent 19 years in prison, received a compensation payout of just under $5 million—the largest such award in New Zealand history.
Defense Arguments and Judicial Ruling
Defense lawyer David Jones KC sought to have the case thrown out, arguing that the Crown’s evidence was insufficient to sustain the charges. Jones contended that during testimony last week, Ronald Turner expressed uncertainty regarding the ethnicity of the person he observed near the scene. Furthermore, the defense argued there was no evidence proving the two former officers possessed knowledge that Turner’s original statement had not been disclosed.
Justice Ian Gault dismissed the application to end the trial today. The court has indicated that the formal reasons for this decision will be released at a later date.
Next Steps in the Auckland Trial
The trial is expected to continue with the defense calling its witnesses tomorrow. Following the conclusion of witness testimony, the proceedings may move toward closing statements, with summing up potentially occurring by the end of the week.