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New Zealand terror accused sacks lawyer, Will represent himself in court
“The way he presented was rational and someone who was not suffering any mental disability. That’s how he appeared. He seemed to understand what was going on,” Peters said.
Christchurch: The accused of terror attack at two New Zealand mosques, Brenton Tarrant not only sacked his court-appointed lawyer but also plans to represent himself in the court of law.
The duty lawyer, Richard Peters who represented the 28 year-old extremist in court on Saturday confirmed to media on Monday, he was no longer acting for him as the Australian national “indicated he does not want a lawyer.”
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“He wants to be self-represented in this case,” said Peters, who played down suggestions that Tarrant may not be fit for trial.
“The way he presented was rational and someone who was not suffering any mental disability. That’s how he appeared. He seemed to understand what was going on,” Peters said.
The fact that Tarrant wants to defend his case in the court by himself raises the prospect of using the high-profile prosecution to promote his beliefs, which were detailed in a manifesto before Friday’s shootings.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was holding a cabinet meeting Monday to address gun laws and intelligence failures, was among about 30 officials who received Tarrant’s manifesto document ahead of the attacks.
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“It did not include a location, it did not include specific details,” she said, adding that it was sent nine minutes before the rampage and handed to security services within two minutes.
The country remained on high alert, with police on Sunday briefly closing an airport in the southern city of Dunedin — where Tarrant had lived — after an unidentified package was spotted on the airfield. The airport re-opened a few hours later.
In Australia, counter-terrorism police searched two homes early Monday, both near the town of Grafton where Tarrant grew up.
“The primary aim of the activity is to formally obtain material that may assist New Zealand police in their ongoing investigation,” a police statement said.
In the worst ever terror attack in New Zealand, multiple gunmen carried out indiscriminate shootings at two mosques in Christchurch during the Friday prayers, leaving 50 people dead and at least 48 wounded.
ALSO READ: New Zealand mosque shootings: 40 killed, four detained
