Defendants’ deaths to end court cases

A second major court case in Southland will not be proceeding following the death of the person facing charges.

An Invercargill youth charged with manslaughter died on December 26 and Southland Crown solicitor Mary-Jane Thomas said she would be filing a stay of proceedings next time the case was called in the High Court at Invercargill.

The 17-year-old, who was out on bail, was charged after a man died from his injuries a few hours after an alleged altercation at an Invercargill house in October.

Ms Thomas said she would also be seeking a stay of proceedings for a murder case when that matter was called on February 2.

A man in his 30s who was accused of murdering a 17-month-old toddler at Wallacetown, near Invercargill, in October died in the Otago Corrections Facility at Milburn in November.

The deaths of both men were "very sad'', Ms Thomas said.

Both had name suppression.

 

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