Rich, on the issue of jury summons in NZ, my understanding is that a random pool of potential jurors is picked from the electoral role every three (?) years and then they use that pool to pick who to summon. As a…

Graeme, you're doing the body politic sterling service. Thank you very much.

Agreed – and give that man his own PA column!

The delay in major trials of this kind is due to two main things – first, ESR analysis (the lab is very backlogged lately); secondly, transcribing intercepted conversations. The latter always takes ages. This is because of the importance of ensuring that the transcription is accurate…

In the UK (AFAIK) minor offences are only heard by magistrates, more serious offences can be heard by magistrates or a judge & jury and the most serious cases have to go to jury trial. Magistrates have a…

Actually I think jurors is the fast part of the process. There's very little contestation in the NZ jury system, so I think jury selection even for large trials only takes an hour or so.

If the defendants are tried together, which I suspect is the police intention, then jury…

what are the constraints on the police investigation of a case after charges have been laid (and where are these codified)?

Can they interview the accused? Can they add to the charges?

This isn't actually something I've come across, so don't quote me on this. There's certainly no rule against…

what might happen if they aren't bailed and continue in custody for a significant period of time and the police cases fall apart when tested in court? ... Would those remanded in custody be able to argue for compensation?

They could try, but their prospects of success would be negligible…

Graeme is this evidence?
I thought this kind of thing doesn't get to court.

"John Minto's characterisation of the bugged evidence against those who won't be facing TSA charges as "something you'd hear at any gun club" may well be seen as very charitable indeed."

Well, yes, statements intercepted under…

Can they interview the accused? Can they add to the charges?

I'd guess mid- to late- next year for any trials to occur for these.

It's going to be an interesting election campaign ...

My understanding is that people had been under surveillance for a year or more. How…

It's not just judges and availability of courts and their staff that cause things to slow down. Prosecution and defence want time to collect evidence, witnesses need to be spoken to. The wheels of justice turn slowly for many reasons.

Really? I mean really? I don't profess to be any…

It's not just judges and availability of courts and their staff that cause things to slow down. Prosecution and defence want time to collect evidence, witnesses need to be spoken to. The…

My own preferred solution would be for us to fore-go tax cuts at the next election* and spend some money on our court system so that there isn't a two year wait for jury trials.

Yes please.

To do anything else seems incompatible with the system of justice we profess…

I was unaware of that. I certainly hope that the same offer is made to the other detainees. Nevertheless, home detention is still detention of sorts and it doesn't really change the fact that those we presume to be innocent may have to live their lives under severe restriction…

Hang on, if Tama Iti's really a cross between Osama Bin Laden and Martin McGuinness, is an electronic tag really going to stop him heading off on a terrorist rampage?

As I understand home detention, the bracelets set of a communicated alarm once you get a certain distance from the…

Hang on, if Tama Iti's really a cross between Osama Bin Laden and Martin McGuinness, is an electronic tag really going to stop him heading off on a terrorist rampage? The fact of his being granted home detention suggests that they don't really…

I do have a further question, what might happen if they aren't bailed and continue in custody for a significant period of time and the police cases fall apart when tested in court? I don't just mean found not guilty, reasonable…

"John Minto's characterisation of the bugged evidence against those who won't be facing TSA charges as "something you'd hear at any gun club" may well be seen as very charitable indeed."

And therefore will/shud it ever…

What Stephen and Rich said: Thanks Graeme; and two years seems like an awfully long time to detain people we presume to be guilty*

It does. But as I noted in another thread, Iti and his nephew were on Friday granted leave to apply for home detention, which seems a…

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*Or, more accurately, our justice system presumes to be guilty.

As you'll appreciate, many (most?) of the suppression orders are being made at the request of the defendants.

I wasn't, actually. It makes a bit more sense now. Thanks for the comments.

Could you enlighten us a little bit about the suppression of bail hearing information. How unusual is it? What grounds for it?

As you'll appreciate, many (most?) of the suppression orders are being made at the request of the defendants. Certainly, the suppression is being made for the benefit of…

Graeme, you're doing the body politic sterling service. Thank you very much.