Psychological tests ordered for New Zealand killer
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: The man accused of shooting dead 50 Muslim worshippers in a Christchurch mosque sat impassively yesterday as a New Zealand judge ordered him to undergo tests to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial for murder.
Survivors and relatives of those killed in the March 15 attacks packed into a Christchurch courtroom as alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant appeared via audio-visual link from a maximum- security prison in Auckland.
The 28-year- old Australian faces 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges over the shootings at two mosques, which shocked the world and rattled normally peaceful New Zealand.
High Court judge Cameron Mander ruled during the brief hearing that Tarrant would be examined by two health assessors to determine ‘whether he is fit to stand trial or insane’.
The suspect – a self- avowed white supremacist – sat motionless throughout the hearing, listening intently to proceedings.
He was not required to enter a plea and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on June 14.
About 50 people were in the court’s public gallery to catch a glimpse of the man charged with the deadliest massacre in modern New Zealand history.
While the public gallery could see Tarrant on screen, the position of the camera in court ensured his view from prison was restricted to the judge and lawyers.
For most, Tarrant’s appearance on screen was the first chance to see the face of the man accused of gunning down their loved ones in cold blood.
Yama Nabi, whose 71-yearold father was killed, went to bear witness on behalf of his ‘heartbroken’ family.
“I just wanted to see his face, it’s not going to bring the loved ones back. I was like ( he’s a) coward,” he told reporters.
Survivor Tofazzal Alam lay down in the Linwood mosque to avoid being shot during the attack and never saw the gunman up close.
“I wanted to see him because he killed so many of my friends. He looks crazy and it was very upsetting,” he said after the hearing.
“I’m very upset to see him. He killed 50 people and he doesn’t look like he’s bothered. I didn’t see any emotion on his face.”
Tarrant was initially charged with one murder count as a holding measure when he made his first court appearance a day after the killings. However, the charges were updated to include the names of all 50 who were killed in the attack and 39 others who were wounded.