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Police officer Clinton Hill, 34, charged with manslaughter for allegedly chasing a man into traffic has been acquitted - Source: ONE News
A police officer charged with manslaughter for allegedly chasing a man into traffic has been acquitted.
But Clinton Hill, 34, still faces a re-trial on charges of
assault and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Hill was accused of beating George Tipene Harris on October 3, 2004
in the back of a police car, then chasing him in front of a
streetsweeper after a late night altercation in Manukau five years
ago.
He was cleared of Harris's manslaughter by a majority verdict
following jury deliberations over two days at the High Court at
Auckland.
The jury was unable to reach verdicts on the other two other
charges.
A new trial will be set for these charges next year, with a
call-over on February 10.
Hill was granted bail.
Justice Geoffrey Venning congratulated the jury on their efforts on
behalf of the community.
Speaking outside court, Hill's defence lawyer John Haigh QC said he
was pleased with the manslaughter verdict, but disappointed about
the other charges.
"The fact is it was a decision for the jury and we abide by that,"
he said.
George Harris' parents Daisy and Paiti, both 56, expressed
disappointments with the verdict today.
"Even if it was a guilty verdict it wouldn't have brought my son
back. We were looking for closure of some sort and we didn't get
it," Mr Harris said.
"We've still got to wait until February for the other charges to be
dealt with." Mrs Harris said they were just going
to spend time with the whanau.
George Harris' cousin Melanie Joyce, 35, from Whangarei, said she
was gutted with the verdict.
She said the family had not coped very well.
"My cousin was one of the cutest little boys when he was little.
I'll always remember him and just have to wait until February now
for the next case," she said.
Hill told the court he was off duty when a drunken Harris tried to
steal his phone in the early hours of October 3, 2004.
He arrested him and placed him in the back of a passing police
car .
The Crown said Hill then assaulted him.
Harris managed to open the door and fled. He tried to wave down a cleaning truck but the driver saw him too late and struck him.
He died later from his injuries.
Hill denied assaulting Harris, who he said escaped from the
police car and was hit by the truck.
The crown claimed that Hill and two other officers lied to cover up
the assault.
But the officers changed their stories and were convicted and
sentenced for conspiracy to defeat the course of justice.
