Thousands of texts to and from the defendants in the weeks surrounding the death of a North Otago man last year were read out yesterday at a murder trial in Dunedin.
After beginning his evidence on Monday, Detective Wayne O'Connell, of Mosgiel, continued reading to the High Court at Dunedin just under 3500 texts to and from the defendants.
The texts took up 114 pages and were narrowed down from more than 15,000 texts collected during the police investigation.
The texts painted a picture of regular drinking between the four murder accused in the weeks leading up to Justin McFarlane's death in his North Otago farm house.
The texts included a mixture of banter, text-speech, talk of violence and regular conversation between the accused and others.
Many of them were centred around the logistics of meeting up to drink alcohol or hang-out.
On September 14, three days after Mr McFarlane's death, Ryan Geary-Smart texted Robert Cummings saying: "We need to hand ourselves in."
Cummings replied saying: "Don't start that s... Hand myself in for what."
In another text in the same conversation, Cummings told Geary-Smart: "Stay strong skinhead. We have done nothing wrong."
The texts included Steven Boskell telling a friend after Mr McFarlane's death: "I f... up G... murder"
In another text, he said: "What I am tell you G is more than a horror."
Other texts from Cummings read out in court included everything from the mundane -- including asking Jacob Geary-Smart to email his CV -- to talking about violence.
"Watch this space there will be blood on my hands tonight," he told Jacob Geary-Smart.
The court also heard texts between Cummings and his former fiance, Lacey Macahan.
"Remember if you cheat on me I will kill you and I really love you XXX," he said in a text.
After Mr McFarlane's death, he texted her saying: "Please don't be like that I need you", to which Ms Macahan replied "What for an alibi?".
In a text to Cummings, Jacob Geary-Smart said: "Blood and honour death before dishonour."
There was also much talk about being skinheads between the Geary-Smart brothers and Cummings, with Ryan Geary-Smart ending his texts with the sign-off "skinhead 88".
Justice David Gendall reminded the jury text messages were only admissable against the defendant who sent each one.
Mr O'Connell will continue reading text messages tomorrow.
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THE CHARGES
Charged with murdering Justin Conrad McFarlane, 35, in his Pine Hill Rd farm house in Elderslie, North Otago in September last year are:
- Robert James Cummings, 23, of Oamaru.
- Steven Kenneth Boskell, 19, of Palmerston.
- Ryan Geary-Smart, 24, of Oamaru.
- His brother, Jacob Christopher Geary-Smart, 23, of Oamaru.
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Charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder is:
- Stephanie Rose McCormack, 27, of Timaru.
ODT mb
