Murder-accused unfit to face trial
Cousin’s death and killing of wife linked to illness
Adeep-seated and longstanding psychiatric illness led to a Northland man’s death and possibly played a part in the death of a woman in Australia 19 years earlier.
That was the conclusion of High Court Justice Kit Toogood, who has ruled Koroneria Kingi mentally unfit to proceed with a murder trial and that he should be held indefinitely in a hospital as a special patient.
Kingi, 49, who suffers from treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia, stabbed his brother-in-law David Taniora, 61, in the neck in an unprovoked attack at a family property in Church Rd, Ngararatunua, in February last year.
In 1997 Kingi killed his wife, Donna Kingi, with a crowbar and knife in Australia and was sentenced to life in prison, the Northern Advocate has reported. He had to serve at least 11 years and was released from prison in his early 40s in 2008, and returned to New Zealand.
Kingi admitted the Australian charge and at the time no questions were raised about his mental state, but subsequent assessments in New Zealand following the killing of Taniora indicated he was most likely mentally impaired at the time of his wife’s death.
“I am more than satisfied that Mr Kingi’s psychiatric illness is deep-seated and longstanding. It led to the tragic death of Mr Taniora and may well have been instrumental in the tragic death of Donna Kingi in 1997,” Justice Toogood said.
“I am in no doubt that the continued detention of Mr Kingi is necessary for the protection of members of the public and other members of Mr Kingi’s whanau.”
He described it as a tragic case and while Kingi might improve enough to stand trial, it was not possible to say when that might happen. While detained in hospital he would undergo mandatory reviews every six months.
The court heard how Kingi denied he was mentally unwell nor would he contemplate a defence claiming he was insane at the time. He would instead plead selfdefence or guilty to the manslaughter of Taniora.
Kingi told expert doctors he believed his family had conspired against him to steal his land.
When his father died in 2004 each of the 10 siblings were left equal shares in the block of land at Ngararatunua. In 2016 five of the siblings were living on the land and Kingi lived in a tent towards the rear of the land but had said he wanted to build. He had become increasingly dissatisfied with his living situation.
Kingi wanted to go to jail and not be held as a special patient. However, specialist doctors recommended Kingi be detained, as that would be the best way to deal with his treatment-resistant paranoid schizophrenia.
In sentencing notes from the Supreme Court of New South Wales, obtained by the Northern Advocate, it was reported that at the time of the murder Kingi had recently separated from his wife, Donna, who had married in April 1996. They became embroiled in an argument over the custody of their daughter.
Kingi left, went to his house where he got a knife and a crowbar and returned. He hit her over the head with the crowbar and stabbed her repeatedly in the chest causing her immediate death.
Kingi drove away with his daughter. However, realising the enormity of what he had done he dropped the child at his brother’s home and gave himself up to police and admitted what he had done.
The judge said Kingi would need help and guidance for a considerable time.