A New Zealand man who killed a teenage graffiti artist he caught spray-painting his home has been sentenced to more than four years in jail in a case that has gripped the country.
Fifty-year-old Bruce Emery grabbed a knife and chased Pihema Cameron after he caught the 15-year-old spray-painting graffiti on the garage of his South Auckland home just over a year ago.
The teenager died from a stab-wound to the chest. The businessman told police he was defending himself.
Emery was found not guilty of murder and convicted of manslaughter.
The teenagers mother, Leanne Cameron, is outraged.
“Did any of you fellows see his face? It’s painless, he looked at us an put his head down,” she said.
Emery’s lawyer, Chris Comesky, says both sides involved have suffered, and the victim’s family must move on.
“Family members of the deceased saying they’d love to rip his eye-balls out, they are filled with hate,” he said.
Emery was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
[Via:www.abc.net.au]
