The Crown is urging a jury to convict a man over the murder of a prominent gang member's son.
Connor Morris, who died just over a year ago. Photo: Facebook
It said even if Michael Murray had not intended to kill Connor Morris, he knew that striking him in the head with a sickle could potentially be fatal.
Mr Murray is on trial in the High Court in Auckland over the death of Mr Morris, who died in a street fight in West Auckland just over a year ago.
He argued he was protecting his [ http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/281173/morris-'rag-dolled'-man-before-fatal-blow,-court-told younger brother, Stanley, who was being beaten at the time.
He told the jury earlier that he closed his eyes, stepped forward and swung in the vicinity.
In his closing argument today, Crown Prosecutor David Johnstone said that witnesses say it was a direct hit.
He also rubbished Mr Murray's argument that the reason he had lied to the Police about being asleep at the time of the incident was because he was afraid of the Head Hunters taking revenge.
Mr Johnstone said Mr Morris threw the sickle into bushes and stayed at his property right next to the fight scene for some time after the attack.
In closing, defence lawyer Marie Dyhrberg, QC urged the jury to remember self-defence was still legal even if serious harm had not yet been caused.
Ms Dyhrberg said Mr Murray swung the sickle while protecting his younger brother from being beaten up.
She said the law allowed for him to have acted pre-emptively if he thought his brother would be hurt more.