MP linked to accused

An Auckland man accused of murder in the United States is a stepbrother of Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye.

Clinton Thinn, an aspiring rapper who calls himself MC Krisis Low, was arrested in San Diego in June following an alleged bank robbery that went wrong.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Office confirmed Thinn, 29, had been in custody since June. The former Auckland Grammar School student, who went to the US in May, is charged with attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm and murder in the first degree.

Thinn has not entered a plea and is not eligible for bail.

If Thinn is convicted of first degree murder, he is facing a minimum sentence of 25 years’ jail or even death.

‘‘This is a difficult and sad time for all those affected by what has happened,’’ Kaye said in a statement. ’’As this is before the courts, I will not be commenting any further.’’

The sheriff’s office could not confirm what the murder charge related to, but a media report said no-one was injured during the attempted robbery and a friend of Thinn said the murder charge came after a later incident in the US jail he is being held in.

A report of the bank robbery noted the offender entered a Chula Vista bank with an orange flare gun and hammer, fired two shots and used the hammer to try to shatter a bullet-proof partition that six workers were hiding behind.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said they were aware of Thinn’s detention and had provided consular advice to him. – Fairfax NZ