Articles
Xue finished stop-violence programme before killing
From the NZ Herald:
5:00AM Thursday September 27, 2007
By Elizabeth Binning
Nai Yin Xue completed a court-approved "Stopping Violence" programme just three months before he is believed to have murdered his wife and callously dumped her body in the boot of his car.
The 54-year-old fugitive was ordered by the courts to attend the programme in November after his wife, An An Liu, sought a protection order after a violent knife incident at their New Lynn home.
In January the programme co-ordinator suggested Xue change to another course due to language difficulties and in February he was referred to a programme especially for Asian men.
That programme was completed by the middle of June, by which time the Herald understands Xue had participated fully in the programme and completed all the tasks set in it.
Despite his successful completion of the course, the tai chi master's wife ended up in the boot of a car after what police described as a "violent death" two weeks ago.
While police have not revealed exactly how An An died - despite some media reports that she was strangled - they have said they are not looking for any weapons.
On Tuesday they also confirmed the ceremonial sword they returned to Xue the morning he fled the country was not involved in the murder.
It was found still in an evidence bag in the car which Xue took to Auckland Airport before fleeing the country with his 3-year-old daughter, Qian Xun Xue. US marshals are now hunting for Xue in America, while a team of at least 40 officers remain on the case in New Zealand.
The scene examinations at the Keystone Ave house where Xue and his family lived is continuing and two flatmates who also lived at the address have been placed in temporary accommodation until police finish there.
Detective Inspector Dave Pearson said a number of search warrants had been or would be executed at other addresses, mainly in Auckland.
Mr Pearson said police were still awaiting the results of forensic testing on the car in which An An's body was found.
Her body has, however, been officially released by police and a small private funeral took place yesterday afternoon, although her daughter Qian Xun was not believed to have been present.
* Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Operation Patch team, which has Asian officers to help with translation issues. Phone 0800 272 824.
Men face court over domestic violence charges
ABC News:
Posted
Two men have appeared in Alice Springs Magistrates Court after separate domestic violence incidents on the weekend.
Glen Daeger, 27, has faced an assault charge after allegedly hitting a woman with a stick outside the Royal Flying Doctor Service last night, breaking her arm. He has been granted bail to face court again on November 5.
Chris Namatjira, 19, also faced court today charged with assault over an incident at the Trucking Yards camp on Saturday night.
Police say a 23-year-old woman had her arm broken after allegedly being struck repeatedly with a metal pole. Namatjira has been granted bail to reappear in a fortnight.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man was due to face court today on an assault charge after allegedly stabbing his wife in the head and body at the Charles Creek camp overnight.
Jury retires in dam dad trial
October 2, 2007 - 4:57PM
A Supreme Court jury has begun its deliberations in the trial of a man accused of murdering his three sons.
Robert Farquharson, 38, of Winchelsea, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his sons Jai, 10, Tyler, 7, and Bailey, two. The boys drowned in a dam seven kilometres east of Winchelsea on September 4, 2005.
The jurors and Justice Philip Cummins have been told that Farquharson said he was driving the boys home on Father's Day when he blacked out, and woke up when the car was in the water.
Today, the 14-member jury was reduced by two through a random ballot before retiring to consider its verdict.
Last week, senior prosecuting counsel Jeremy Rapke, QC, said in his closing address to the jury that it would be artificial and potentially misleading to look at the case without considering Farquharson's break-up with his wife Cindy Gambino, his professed love for his children, his financial position and his long-term depressive illness.
He said those factors all had a bearing on the likelihood that Farquharson was a murderer, rather than being a very unlucky and tragic man.
Defence senior counsel Peter Morrissey said in closing that Farquharson, a chubby smoker with a respiratory ailment at the time, was a candidate for the medical condition cough syncope.
He said the condition was rare, but it involved an episode of coughing, followed by a blackout that could last five seconds or more, then a return to consciousness.
Mr Morrissey said there was no evidence to support the theory that conscious driving sent the car into the water.