Samoan man acquitted on murder charge on the basis of insanity

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New Zealand Justice Sally Fitzgerald has ruled that a 50-year-old Samoan man who repeatedly stabbed his mother last year June is not criminally responsible on the basis of insanity.

Justice Fitzgerald was satisfied that Leati’oo did not believe the person he killed was his mother and did not know stabbing her was morally wrong. According to New Zealand Stuff, in Justice Fitzgerald’s judgment, she detailed Leati’oo’s mental health history which spanned over a decade. He first had contact with mental health services in 2009, when he reported hearing voices.

The mother’s death at her central Auckland home however Matamua Leatio’o did not believe he was killing his mother, but somebody who had replaced her.

He appeared at the High Court at Auckland last month where Justice Sally Fitzgerald acquitted him on the charge of murder on the grounds of insanity.

The judge found Leati’oo had caused his mother’s death, but could not be held criminally responsible as he was insane at the time.

“Upon his arrest by police, Mr Leati’oo repeatedly stated that he was working for the Prime Minister, who he suggested was also the mother of his children,” the judgment said.

Two experienced clinical psychiatrists both concluded Leati’oo was suffering from psychosis caused by schizophrenia at the time he killed his mother.

SOURCE: Stuff New Zealand