When a terminally ill man was shot dead on his doorstep, dragged inside, and his house set alight, it was either a ‘‘cold-blooded murder’’ or a case of ‘‘kill or be killed’’ for the man who pulled the trigger.
Now, it is up to a jury to decide.
Yesterday, in the trial’s fourth week, Justice Helen McQueen summed up the case and sent the jury out to begin deliberations.
It followed closing statements from the defence and Crown, and weeks of evidence from Waitaanga locals, alleged confession witnesses, experts, police and fire investigators, and Hannon-McGinn himself.
The jury has heard Bridson was shot in the stomach on the deck of his home in the early hours of October 11, 2023, before being dragged inside and his property set alight.
The Crown alleges the accused acted at the request of Mathew David Hannon, the father of Hannon-McGinn.
Hannon and Bridson were neighbours who feuded over several issues, including hunting in the area, which witnesses described as the ‘‘Wild West’’.
Hannon-McGinn has admitted to fatally shooting Bridson, who had terminal cancer, but claimed he acted in self-defence.
He pleaded guilty to arson at the beginning of the trial, while Howe denies both murder, saying he was present but not criminally responsible, and arson.
When summing up the case, Justice McQueen said the Crown argued there was no evidence to support Hannon-McGinn’s claim that the shooting was in self-defence, and rather it was in ‘‘cold blood’’.
She said the Crown had emphasised the defendants thought they had ‘‘got away with murder’’, showing off the shotgun after the shooting, then destroyed it when police made public appeals relating to Bridson’s death.
Defence lawyer Nicola Manning said Hannon-McGinn had visited Bridson to talk to him about the escalating dispute he had with his father.
Bridson had become aggressive when he realised Hannon-McGinn was Hannon’s son, yelling at him with ‘‘spit coming out of his mouth’’ and saying ‘‘you better get the f... off my property, or I will kill you’’, Justice McQueen said, referring to Ms Manning’s closing.
She said when Bridson reached for a stick, Hannon-McGinn fired a shot, allegedly believing Bridson had reached for a firearm, and it was a situation of ‘‘kill or be killed’’.
- Tara Shaskey
