There were ugly scenes inside Whakatane District Court today during the appearance of the man accused of Hawea Vercoe's murder.
Family members from both sides had to be restrained and insults were traded.
The young Maori leader was killed outside the Quart House bar early yesterday morning.
Murder accused Isaiah Tai got support from his whanau as he was led into court.
Around 50 people turned up along with a dozen of Vercoe's family.
21-year-old Tai from Opotiki is accused of murdering Hawea Vercoe outside a bar on Whakatane's main street in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“It was really quickly and nobody had a chance to react and saw it happen, it wasn't a fight, it was an act that happened, it wasn't a fight,” said Quart House owner Grant Webb.
The judge refused Tai's lawyer's application for interim name suppression.
But as Tai was turning to go, one of his family members shouted “love you bro”, there followed an altercation when members of both families traded insults and some had to be restrained.
Outside the court, Tai's father said his son is not a murderer.
“What, do they think that he just purposely set out to do that thing? Nah, my boy's not like that.”
Others were more aggressive.
“Get those f***ing cameras out of our f***ing faces eh.”
Mr Vercoe's sister was also in court.
“Oh I think it's something that no family should ever have to go through, but there's not anything that we can do about it,” she said.
“I'm hoping that justice will prevail over time and we will work that process out.”
Mr Vercoe's body will arrive at his parents' home in Whakatane later this evening.
Tomorrow morning he will be taken back to his school he loved before going to Tuteao Marae in Te Teko where his funeral takes place on Thursday.
3 News
source: newshub archive
