The murderer who embarrassed New Zealand law and border authorities by flying to Brazil while on temporary release from prison has been convicted for the audacious escape. Charges of escaping lawful custody and making a false statement to renew a passport have been added to Phillip John Smith's lengthy criminal record, along with murder, child sex abuse, kidnapping, tax fraud and arson. In an unusual legal procedure, a jury was chosen at the Auckland District Court today and the judge immedia...

An appeal may be launched in the Cissy Chen murder case after disturbing evidence was ruled inadmissible by the judge. The Crown Law Office may be asked to decide whether an appeal should be lodged after Ms Chen's partner of eight years, Jack Liu, was found not guilty of her murder yesterday after a lengthy trial.

Trial Judge, Justice Sarah Katz, ruled testimony of the dead woman's friend was inadmissible because of the risk "that its admission will have an unfairly prejudicial...

The mother of a security guard who died on his first night on the job is"shell-shocked"after the man accused of his murder wasfound not guilty. She feels the New Zealand judicial system hasfailed her son.

The27-year-old accused, whose name has been suppressed, was acquitted inthe High Court in Auckland this afternoon for the murder ofCharanpreet Dhaliwal in November 2011.The accused was found guilty ofassaulting another person, Viki Alo, on the same night and wassentenced...