Tamihere murder retrial: 'One final thing to be done'
The New Zealand Crown has been granted an eight-week extension to decide whether to pursue a retrial for David Tamihere regarding the 1989 murders of two Swedish backpackers. The defense expressed concern over the significant time elapsed since the original events.
Why it matters
This case is one of New Zealand's most high-profile criminal matters, and the potential retrial raises questions about the viability of evidence after 37 years.
<p>David Tamihere will wait until the end of September to hear whether he will again stand trial for the murders of Swedish backpackers Heidi Paakonen and Urban Hoglin in 1989.</p> <p>The door to a retrial was left open after the Supreme Court quashed his convictions in March.</p> <p>At the Auckland High Court today, Crown prosecutor Alysha McClintock asked for more time to decide on another trial.</p> <p>"There is an important process to be gone through here to assess all of the evidence," McClintock told Justice Downs.</p> <p>"There is one final thing to be done and that is sought to be progressed as quickly as possible, and the Crown is seeking a further eight weeks to confirm the position."</p> <p>Defence lawyer James Carruthers said his primary concern was over a trial "dealing with events 37 years in the past."</p> <p>"We currently don't have any certainty around the case against Mr Tamihere,…
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