Christchurch new zealand suspect court
You're referring to the Christchurch mosque shootings that occurred on March 15, 2019, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian citizen, was arrested and charged with murder and terrorism-related offenses.
Here's an update on the court proceedings:
- In June 2019, Tarrant appeared in the Christchurch District Court via video link from prison, where he was charged with 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of injury with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of committing an act or acts in relation to a terrorist group.
- In March 2020, Tarrant's trial began in the High Court at Christchurch. The trial was expected to last several weeks, but it was eventually adjourned indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In May 2020, Tarrant pleaded guilty to all 51 counts of murder, as well as the other charges against him. He became the first person to be convicted of terrorism-related offenses in New Zealand.
- In August 2020, Tarrant's sentencing hearing began. The prosecution sought life imprisonment without parole, while the defense argued for a minimum 28-year sentence.
- On August 27, 2020, Justice Cameron Mander sentenced Tarrant to life imprisonment without parole, stating that the attacks were "acts of unprecedented cruelty and brutality" that had caused "unimaginable harm" to the victims and their families.
Tarrant's case has been widely reported and has sparked international outrage and debate about gun control, terrorism, and hate crimes.