12 Aug 2011

Jury in baby manslaughter case reduced to 11

8:36 pm on 12 August 2011

A jury considering evidence in a manslaughter trial at the Napier High Court has been reduced to 11 people.

Trent Owen Hapuku has been on trial since Monday for fatally injuring a five-month-old boy from the Hastings suburb of Flaxmere in January this year.

Crown prosecutor Steve Manning says the 22-year-old accused became angry and frustrated while playing a game on a Playstation and assaulted Mikara Reti.

Mr Manning says the severity of the assault burst the baby's liver and broke several ribs and the child died soon after.

The jury deliberated for almost five hours on Friday before Justice Mallon agreed to discharge one person after deciding they were no longer capable of serving.

The jury has retired for the night and will resume deliberations on Saturday morning.