A breast-feeding juror delayed a murder trial in Auckland today in what may be a first in a New Zealand court case.
The woman, one of 11 jurors deciding if Antonie Dixon was guilty of murder and a vicious assault against two women, had her baby in the High Court in Auckland late yesterday and earlier today after the jurors had retired to consider their verdicts.
Yesterday the baby acknowledged Justice Hugh Williams with a wave which was returned by the judge in restrained fashion from the bench.
Today the jury was told it could not deliberate without the breast-feeding juror, while she took her toddler to a day care centre out of the city.
The jurors could talk about anything - the rugby, the weather, but not about the case against Dixon until the woman returned.
Dixon, 40, faced eight charges, including the murder of James Te Aute, and wounding with a samurai sword Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Pipiroa, near Thames.
Dixon also denied counts of kidnapping, twice discharging a firearm with intent, using a firearm against a police officer and aggravated burglary.
Dixon said the murder came in the course of either self defence or provocation, and that he was insane.
The jury began deliberations at 3pm yesterday and retired to a hotel for the night at 9.30pm.
They resumed their deliberations at 9.30am today and were still deliberating this evening.
