The Crown says a woman who fatally stabbed her Mongrel Mob partner in Lower Hutt did so while she was drunk and angry but her lawyer says she was acting in self-defence.
Jessica Keefe. Photo: RNZ
Jessica Keefe, 30, is before the High Court at Wellington charged with murdering Sean Verma in January.
The Crown says the relationship between Ms Keefe and Mr Verma was a violent one and police had been called to their home six times before the night of the fatal stabbing.
Prosecutor Emma Light said Mr Verma was unable to leave the house as he was serving a sentence of home detention there.
She said on the night he died Ms Keefe had come home in an angry mood after a day of drinking and Mr Verma was heard telling her to leave the flat and seen dragging her by the hair towards the front door.
They disappeared from view briefly and the Crown says it was then that Ms Keefe grabbed a knife and stabbed Mr Verma in the chest.
Ms Light said Ms Keefe later told police she had no memory of hurting Mr Verma.
Defence lawyer Dr Donald Stevens, QC, said Ms Keefe was a battered woman who was beaten, on average, once a fortnight by her partner.
He said Mr Verma had been drinking bourbon for 10 hours on the day he died and when he violently attacked Ms Keefe she grabbed the knife to defend herself.