Defense Claims Shots Fired at Hori Gage Were Intended to Intimidate, Not Kill

In a dramatic courtroom presentation, the defense team for Royden Haenga, a member of the Black Power gang, has argued that the shots fired at Hori Gage were intended to intimidate, not kill. This claim comes as Haenga and Robert Richards face charges of murder in the death of Hori Gage, a Mongrel Mob member who was shot in front of his family on August 6, 2023, in Palmerston North.

The defense lawyer, Scott Jefferson, stated that the incident was not premeditated, and that Haenga did not intend to kill Gage. Instead, he claimed that the situation was an unfortunate and unscripted event that happened as a result of a call to arms issued by Black Power following an earlier attack on one of their members.

Jefferson emphasized that Haenga was not the one who planned the murder, but rather, the person in the back seat of the car was responsible for the fatal shots. He noted that Haenga had aimed low and was not trying to hit Gage, while the back seat passenger had executed the killing in a cold-blooded manner.

On the other hand, the Crown prosecutor, Guy Carter, presented a compelling case against Richards and Haenga, highlighting forensic evidence and witness testimonies that support the claim that the murder was a targeted execution. Carter stated that Gage was shot six times in front of his family, and that the evidence clearly points to Richards as the person who fired the fatal shots.

Richards’ defense lawyer, William Hawkins, focused on the credibility of the Crown’s witnesses, suggesting that some were self-interested and not reliable. He also pointed out that there was no conclusive evidence placing Richards at the scene of the crime or at the known Black Power address,