A woman killed in a hit-and-run at an Auckland carpark shouted and lunged at the driver's car after her handbag was taken containing $4000, a court has been told.
Christopher Shadrock is on trial for the murder of Joanne Wang, 39, who struggled to stop her bag from being stolen in the Westfield shopping centre carpark in Manukau in June 2008.
Five other men are charged with being accessories to murder, accused of helping Mr Shadrock, 23, hide evidence or avoid arrest.
The Crown says Mr Shadrock must have seen Mrs Wang yelling at him before he chose to accelerate into her.
The defence says Mr Shadrock admits that he stole the handbag but never intended any harm, let alone to kill Mrs Wang, and the jury should consider a verdict of manslaughter.
Crown witness Elliot Smith told the Auckland High Court on Wednesday that he first heard Mrs Wang's distressed cries before he saw her.
Mr Smith says he saw a white four-wheel-drive moving backwards quickly and a woman chasing it, running towards the vehicle waving her arms and shouting.
The court was told Mr Smith saw Mrs Wang leaning over the bonnet of the vehicle and watched her disappear from view as it drove off.
The jury visited the carpark on Wednesday morning.
