It was a stark contrast as two families sat in the High Court at Auckland yesterday - one showing no signs of emotion and the other weeping, angry and upset.
The smaller group was supporting Bruce Emery (51), who was appearing for sentencing for manslaughter. The others were the family of his victim, Pihema Cameron (15).
In an emotional speech, Pihema's mother, Leanne Cameron (33), told the court how her life had changed since the day her eldest son had been "brutally and heartlessly" taken.
With her hands shaking and her voice growing louder as it filled with emotion and anger, Mrs Cameron looked at the man who killed her son - who sat expressionless in the dock looking back at her - as she said:
"I have never felt so much hatred for a person than what I feel towards this man. He destroyed and broke up my young family over a bit of paint.
"He took my son's life without a second thought. I feel that I have failed as a mum as I was not there to protect my son.
"I feel that I am failing now with my three remaining children as I am so quite depressed and angry all the time.
"My life has changed drastically.I feel that he deserves the maximum sentence for taking my son's life as I am serving a life sentence without my son."
Mrs Cameron told the court of how she had been in Perth, working to move her family forward financially, when she learned of her son's death.
"The day that my son was senselessly taken was the beginning of a nightmare that has never ended," she said. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't cry just thinking about my son.
"This man who killed my son had 300m to stop and think about what could have happened. But he didn't. Instead, in a few moments of senselessness, he destroyed a lot of lives."
Mrs Cameron's sister Aquitania (35) spoke of her emotions after learning her nephew had died with his eyes open and made reference to younger family members who had gone off track from their schooling because of their grief - one of whom had spoken of wanting to rip Emery's eyeballs out.
"I felt that my heart was going to explode in pain. All I could think was that he was looking for us to help him and we couldn't and he died alone, scared and helpless."
Addressing Emery she said: "I cannot stress enough of the hate I have for you, Bruce Emery. You make my blood boil and my eyes fill with red. A life for a life is how it should be."
Pihema's family members wept as the victim impact statements were read, while Emery's wife, sister and brother-in-law and mother sat, showing no signs of emotion.
After the last statement, Emery took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
Outside the court, Pihema's mother said she had hoped for a sentence of 10 years and was angry at the sentence imposed.
She said she was proud to have spoken in court. "I just wanted him to hear me, hear the anger in my voice."
Emery's lawyer, Chris Comeskey, later addressed the fact that Emery's Indonesian-born wife Sotju had shown no emotion.
"She handles things in a reasonable calm manner - probably befitting of her ethnic background," he said. "She is feeling anguished. It's devastating, the effect that it's had on their three daughters."