Death in the street: The murder of Connor Morris

A Moment In Crime

In August 2014 Connor Morris was fatally injured during a street fight in West Auckland. He was struck in the head with a sickle-like tool and died instantly.

Morris, 27, was a patched gang member, the son of a senior leader and was in a relationship with the daughter of one of New Zealand's most prominent broadcasters.

His murder and the trial for the man responsible, was high profile. A Moment In Crime writer and host Anna Leask covered the trial and sentencing for the Herald and looks back a the case 10 years on, as the killer becomes eligible for parole.

Michael Thrift Murry admitted he killed Connor. But, he claimed there was no murderous intent, that he was trying to defend his younger brother from being attacked.

After a two-week trial a jury of eight men and four women found him guilty. He was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

The Morris family were contacted before the podcast aired. They did not want to comment publicly but wanted to ensure people knew how much their son, brother and partner was loved by them.

For more on this case, visit nzherald.co.nz or click in the links above.

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