The killing of George Tipene Harris:

What happened to George Tipene Harris is as shocking as what happened to his cousin, Nicholas Ward Harris.  Both murdered by taxpayer funded thugs in uniform.

Two Police officers were convicted and jailed for their part in the fatal assaults viciously inflicted on George Tipene Harris that night, and the evidence of the corrupt cover up is extremely damning indeed.  The Chief Coroner also considers that there is cause for concern regarding this matter, recently writing:

Judge MacLean is an eminently sensible Judge who understands his role as a jurist and conducts it with integrity, and transparency - because when you act with integrity you have no fear of transparency.

On the other hand, here's some transparency into the Police 'investigation' - Police lied to cover up for an off duty mate who delivered a sadistic beating to George Tipene Harris - a FATAL sadistic beating - here's how your taxes are being spent covering up murder and corruption!  Dead men don't tell stories - but others do, and good on them.  The meaning of life is redemption.  It's the putting right that counts.

Here is the report of  Constable Douglas PEACH, who 'investigated' the vehicle which is alleged to have hit Mr Harris, killing him - Constable PEACH states in his formal report that the registration number of the vehicle was CHM 187:

Now, here is another report.  This one was written the following day, by Senior Constable Karl WILSON, who seems to have been 'investigating' a completely different road sweeping truck.  - This one had the registration BRM 987.

In the photograph of the street sweeping truck which is contained in the Police report, embedded below, and linked to separately in order to enable viewers to enlarge this photograph, it can be seen that the registration plate has clearly been either removed from the vehicle - there is no mention of it in the reports of anyone at the scene, so it is not credible that it fell off the vehicle at the scene of the killing - or deliberately obliterated from the photograph of the truck.

Coroner Sarn Herdson led the predictable whitewash and damage control grave-y train.  Interested parties may write to Coronial Services and request the Coroner's file to verify these allegations.  There was no mention of the discrepancy between the two registration plates or any of the other relevant and damning facts regarding this blatant cover up of a vicious homicide.

In November 2009 Police Constable Clinton HILL pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, assault, and perverting the course of justice.   Evidence was given that HILL had killed HARRIS and lied about it - and bribed other witnesses, including other Police officers - to lie about it.

It was reported on the 10th December 2009 that the jury had been unable to reach a verdict on the charges of assault, and perverting the course of justice, against Police Constable Clinton HILL, but acquitted him on another charge of manslaughter.  The family of George HARRIS was shocked at the verdict.

What the jury were undoubtably not told about was the fact that two of those other Police officers that were 'incentivised' to lie about the matter had been sentenced to jail for their part in the killing less than a year earlier.

Constables Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy had initially protected their mate, Constable Clinton Hill, who assaulted George Tipene Harris while off-duty in the back of their police car.

Reuben Harris and Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice.  Another police officer, who allegedly spoke to Hill at the scene, is also charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.  We believe this is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, who told the junior officers what to say, and told them to falsify their statements.  There is no word of what happened to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, if anything.

The court heard that Hill had been out drinking on October 3 2004, and allegedly arrested George Harris in Manukau after he attempted to grab a phone from his pocket to call a taxi.  Hill was off duty, out drinking.

Murphy and Reuben Harris stopped in their patrol car and agreed to take Hill and Mr Harris to the station.

Reuben Harris said Murphy got out of the car and Hill asked him to drive down an alleyway and then began assaulting the victim.

George Harris escaped and Hill gave chase. Murphy and Reuben Harris later found Hill kneeling over Mr Harris's body on Great South Rd. George Tipene Harris was a second cousin of Reuben Harris, and was also related to Murphy.

Murphy said a sergeant who arrived at the scene told him and Harris what to say in their statements to investigators, which involved leaving out the alleged assault.

In March this year, a former officer told police that Murphy had told him before the 2005 inquest that his account to investigators was false.

Police reinterviewed Murphy, who had become a recruit with the Queensland police, and Reuben Harris, who had resigned from the force in December 2006, and the pair admitted making false statements.

The men agreed to testify against their former colleagues.  They have met the victim's family, who have accepted their apology.  Sadly, the whistleblowers are locked up and shut up, while a homicidal liar who encouraged so many other NZ Police Officers to also lie to cover up his sadistic killing, walks free among us.
Links will be updated in this report to evidence and information regarding this matter, in the next few days.

Transparency NZ are assisting members of Mr Harris's family to write to the Solicitor General about this matter, and take further action in the Courts to ensure accountability, and see that justice is served for George and his cousin Nick.

Here is the Police report into the death of George Tipene Harris, it is disturbing on a whole lot of levels (click the < arrow in the top left hand corner and then use the scroll bars to view, or access directly at this link).



Particularly damning is the statement of Constable Reuben Harris.  Reuben Harris states that his supervisor is Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA.  It's also just fascinating that there is no statement on this file from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA, the officer in charge of the scene.  The driver of the truck alleged to have struck George Harris had been drinking, but was assured by Police officers that the death had nothing to do with him and he was - incredibly - allowed to leave the scene of the crime - and apparently allowed by Police to drive the truck away too!



Police caught up with him hours later, and breath tested him.  He was found to have a significant amount of alcohol in his system - as did Clinton Hill.  Why was he allowed to leave the scene?

The Police have withheld the age of Constable Reuben Harris, this is ridiculous, the public have a right to know how old he is.  Apparently Constable Reuben Harris - a key witness to the assault and killing of George Tipene Harris on 3rd October - was not interviewed until THREE DAYS LATER.  His statement was taken on Wednesday the 6th October 2004, the taking of his statement began at 9:55 pm and finished at 1:15 am.

At around 4 am on the 3rd of October Constable Benson Lyle Murphy and Constable Reuben Harris were cruising around Manukau in their Police car when they just happened to come across their mate. Constable Clinton Hill, who was off duty, and drunk, and George Tipene Harris, who was related to two of these Police officers.  There's also the question of whether they just happened to come across him or whether the phone calls between off duty cop Clint Hill and his brother resulted in the victim crossing paths with his killers that morning.  Constable Reuben Harris was driving.  Clinton Hill states that he was taking George Harris to Wiri Police station.

Constable Murphy states that Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the Police car and allegedly told him and Murphy that he - Clint Hill - had "arrested" George Tipene Harris.  Problematic on a whole lot of levels - Hill was off duty, drunk, aggressive and unreasonable.  He was looking for a confrontation and with George Tipene Harris and he co-erced Murphy and Reuben Harris into going along with it.  Bullying is all good fun - until someone loses a leg, and their life.  And the whistleblowers are locked up while the killers walk free.

So, Hill forced George Tipene Harris into the car, telling his mates that it was because George had "tried to take his cellphone" and "ripped his jacket" - showing them a little bit of white fluff as "evidence" of this alleged crime.  Neither Murphy or Reuben Harris cautioned George Tipene Harris or told him he was under arrest and what for.  "Trying to take a cellphone" and "ripping a jacket" are not listed under the Summary Offences Act or the Crimes Act, and the evidence shows that the so called arrest of George Tipene Harris was unlawful, and that it was in fact kidnapping.

Constable Murphy states that he noticed that Clinton Hill was intoxicated, but that he "seemed of his wits to know what he was saying and I was not concerned about that issue at all."  Murphy had only been a Police officer for 18 months.

He states that Clinton Hill "was worried that he may be inconveniencing us."

He then states that instead of taking Clinton Hill and George Tipene Harris to the Police station, they drove up the road and conspired in the killing of George Tipene Harris.  George's friends tell how the last they saw of George was when Clinton Hill grabbed him and marched him down the road to his death.  They went to the Police station to pick him up, like Hill told them to, but George never made it to the Police station.  He died on the side of the road after a bashing by Hill and his mates, and his death was corruptly covered up.

Constable Murphy states that after Clinton Hill forced George Harris into the car they drove up the road and Murphy and Reuben Harris got out of the car, leaving Hill in the back with George Harris, who they state was drunk - and so was Hill according to Murphy and Rueben Harris, and unrestrained. Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that Clinton Hill was shouting at George Harris. Murphy states that they were going to take George to Manurewa Police station - he never made it to Wiri OR Manurewa or any other Police station - after Police "took him for a little ride" and beat him up and chased him to his death for "bumping into" a drunken off duty cop with an attitude problem.

George Harris got out the unlocked door of the Police car, Clinton Hill tried to get out his door but the kiddie lock was on on his side - but not on George Harris's side - so Hill got out the driver's side and chased George Harris up the road to his death.

Constables Murphy and Reuben Harris gave chase in the Police car.  Constable Benson Lyle Murphy states that they then "came across" Hill and George Harris again, but Harris was already dead or dying by then.

Constable Murphy states that when they pulled up next to Hill and George Harris, Hill stated that he couldn't feel the pulse of George Tipene Harris.  Constable Murphy called an ambulance, and then noticed a street sweeping truck pull up in front of the patrol car, he states that it was not there when the patrol car pulled up.  He states that he questioned the driver of the street sweeping truck, Constable Murphy states that he asked the driver of the street sweeping truck "Did you hit him" and the driver, Mr Semisi Cocker, stated "Yes."

Constable Murphy then told Clinton Hill to move away from George Harris, proceeded to roll him into the recovery position and ascertained that he was actually breathing.  Constable Murphy tried to assess George's injuries, he could see that his leg was "mangled" in fact it was almost completely severed, if not completely severed, evidence indicates the latter, blood was coming from his ear and there was blood on his face.  His eyes were rolled back in his head.  Constable Murphy stayed there with George, talking to him, telling him that the ambulance was coming.  Constable Reuben Harris walked away and occupied himself talking to a tow truck driver who had arrived on the scene - there is no statement from the tow truck driver, or from Glen SETU - another witness, and no statement from Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA - the ringleader of the coverup apparently.

After Constable Murphy helped to put George in the ambulance - which was dispatched as a priority TWO - and as such proceeded to the scene slowly, without sirens or lights, no hurry - appallingly! - Constable Murphy then asked for a supervisor to come to the scene.  Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA then arrived and "the scene was turned over to Acting Sergeant Justin TAIRUA."  Evidence at the scene was treated extremely carelessly to the point of deliberate negligence.

Constable Reuben James Harris had also been a Police officer for less than two years, having graduated in November 2002.  His age has also been withheld by Police - because it is indicative of a lack of maturity and experience!  And therefore in the public interest and RELEVANT!  Constable Reuben Harris was driving the patrol car and Murphy was in the front passenger seat.

Constables Reuben Harris and Murphy, and George's friends, confirm that George Tipene Harris was not aggressive at all, and that Clint Hill was, George was apologetic and submissive, while Hill shouted at him aggressively demanding to know why he tried to "steal" his phone.  Hill was also already wound up and aggressive because of a series of phone calls from his brother.  Hill confirms that he indicated that George's friends could use his phone, there was apparently a misunderstanding, no doubt caused by both parties being significantly affected by alcohol and Clinton Hill being affected by adrenalin after the phone calls with his brother indicating danger - whether real or imagined or deliberately fabricated - and it seems that the latter was the case.

Reuben James Harris and Benson Lyle Murphy were sentenced to 15 months jail in August 2008 after pleading guilty to conspiring to defeat the course of justice after they lied to try and protect Hill.

In the High Court on 2 March 2009 Justice Pamela Andrews quashed their prison sentences, instead sentencing them to 10 months home detention, the Dominion Post reported.

Harris and Murphy had immediately appealed their initial sentences and were bailed without spending a day in to prison.

Justice Andrews did not give a reason for her decision.

Hill is due to appear in the High Court at Auckland on 2 March 2009 charged with Mr Harris's manslaughter, while a police sergeant has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The killing of Nicholas Ward Harris.

On Sunday 9th January 2011 Nicholas Ward Harris was killed on the floor of cell 10 in the remand unit at Waikeria Prison.  He was smothered and choked by what was described by the Coroner as "a seething mass of humanity" as a gang of men in uniforms "restrained" him until he died in an alleged attempt to make sure he didn't commit suicide.  He should never have been there in the first place.

The report into Nicholas's death from the Public Prison Service is embedded below, it's damning reading, it is released under the Official Information Act and respectfully reproduced with permission from Nicholas's mother.

Nicholas Ward Harris with his beloved children

 He leaves behind his children, and a lasting legacy of love.  Nicholas was very much loved by his family, he was a kind and very loving dad to his children, they were the light of his life, and he was a great dad.  He was also a talented artist and master carver who had great potential.

Hopefully sharing this information will help bring about changes in our prisons, mental heath care and social services in general, as well as showing an insight into the truth around how Nick died.  For optimum viewing, click the left facing arrow in the top left hand corner and use the scroll bars, or access the document directly at this link.

Despite the involvement of the "seething mass of humanity" identified by the Coroner, the "review team" only interviewed ONE of the officers involved before they wrote their report!  - see page 2 (8)

Even worse, they can't even get Nicholas's name right - referring to him throughout as either "Nicholas MARK Harris" or "Prisoner Harris". 

There were taxpayer funded Closed Circuit Television Cameras in place throughout the Prison, and these entire events were recorded.  In addition to the fixed prison cameras, this incident was also filmed by one of the officers present with a hand held video camera in close up.  The Department of Corrections, after controlling and manipulating all the evidence at the scene of the killing and writing "reports" like this one on the basis of what ONE of the people involved in the killing said, and spending a lot of taxpayers money on trying to prevent Nicholas's mother obtaining the filmed footage of her son's last moments, as he was choked to death on the floor of the cell which he should never have been in in the first place.

The reason that he was there is because of a decision made by a staff member in the Kotuku Unit, that decision was made because Nicholas was perceived as being 'difficult' for staff to 'deal with' - they didn't want to deal with him so they lied, and said there was nothing wrong with him, he had no mental health issues, and he should be locked up in the main prison instead of receiving the care he needed and deserved, in the Kotuku Unit.  It seems almost certain that Nicholas was suffering from depression, and he had been identified as having mental health issues, but this staff member decided that he had no mental health issues, and that fateful, lazy, corrupt and incompetent decision led to his death.

Nicholas Harris was effectively homeless in the weeks leading up to his murder, he lived under the Christmas tree in Hamilton, telling people he was Hana Koko, the black Father Christmas.  He was arrested for allegedly shoplifting a pair of sunglasses on 3rd January, and he spent the next two days in cells at the Hamilton Police station and Hamilton District Court  At 7 pm on Thursday 6th January Nicholas Harris was received at Waikeria Prison, because he didn't have a home to be bailed to basically.  His mother contacted Police and the Prison and was told that he could be bailed to her address, she waited for the phone call she was told she would receive when the arrangements had been completed.  That phone call never came, less than three days after Nicholas walked into Waikeria Prison his mother received a phone call to inform her that he was dead.

He was classified during the induction on the 6th as being "At Risk" and was placed in the Kotuku Unit overnight accordingly.  The following day, 7th January, he was taken back to Court, and returned to the prison at 11 am, assessed again as "At Risk" and again placed in the Kotuku Unit at 11:30.

Three hours later, at 2:30 that afternoon the report shows that "Prisoner Harris [was] assessed as not being at risk of self harm by [the] Unit PCO (Prison Corrections Officer) and a Prison Nurse and therefore relocated to the Remand Unit."  This was a fatal mistake and the people responsible should have been held accountable - there is indisputable evidence that Nicholas Harris WAS at risk, and needed appropriate care, staff simply put him in the 'too hard basket' and couldn't be bothered dealing with him because he was 'difficult', so they conveniently reclassified him in order to get rid of him and pass the buck.  I wonder what the qualifications of the Prison Officer and the Nurse were.  That decision was fatal.  The cells in the Kotuku Unit were safe, the cells in the Remand Unit were not.  Nicholas was placed in cell 60 in the Remand Unit and left there.

At 10 am on the 8th January 2011 prison staff noticed that the cell window casing had been removed, so permission was sought and obtained to move Nicholas again and place him on Directed Segregation.  He was moved to cell 1 in the Remand Unit. At 3 in the afternoon staff notice that cell 1 is flooded, and permission is sought and received to place Nicholas in the Separates Unit - in solitary confinement.  He was placed in cell 10.

At 9 am on the 9th January the on call senior manager attends the prison to sign the segregation documentation and was advised that Nicholas had broken the observation panel in cell 10, and had allegedly been seen sharpening a plastic knife which had been given to him at breakfast.

The senior manager spoke with Nicholas at 10 am and advised him that he is to be moved to another cell, "as he had made cell 10 unsafe" - ironically.  Nicholas refused, and was advised that force may be used.  Staff then discussed how the relocation was to be carried out, and agreed that Pepper Spray would be used.  The use of Pepper Spray had only just been legalised in NZ and it seems prison staff were keen to try it out, and be the first to use it.  Arrangements were made to prepare to use the Pepper Spray.  It seems that Pepper Spray had never previously been used at this time.

At 11:05 am staff observed via camera that Nicholas was making a loop out of a sheet he had been supplied with - At Risk prisoners are not issued sheets for that very reason, but Nicholas had been reclassified and given a plastic knife AND a sheet.  Staff called a "Code Blue" alert, but were instructed not to enter the cell unless it was obvious that he was attempting to harm himself.

Incident Response Officers went to the cell, where they found Nicholas walking around normally, and one of the officers, who had developed a rapport with Nicholas while he was in the Kotuku Unit, engaged him in conversation.  Nicholas asked for a shower and some cigarettes, and handed over strips of torn sheet, a blanket and the 'noose' to the prison officer when asked to do so.  Apparently these officers then left.

At approximately 11:40 am a second Code Blue alert was called by staff observing Nicholas by camera, and officers were again sent to cell 10, where they found Nicholas sitting down with his back to the cell door.  Master Control staff monitoring the cameras then observed Nicholas clutch his left chest area and then slump sideways to the floor and relayed this information to the Incident Responders, who then attempted to enter the cell.

Six officers eventually entered the cell, where Nicholas was lying face down on the floor, they leaped on him and began struggling with him in an attempt to "control and restrain" him.  It seems that Nicholas may well have been having a seizure during this struggle, or trying to get air.  One officer grasped his head, others applied force to each of his arms and legs, and at least one was exerting pressure on his back.  These officers were shouting at Nicholas, repeatedly calling him a "fucker" and a "cunt" ( - see page 7), and they called for more staff.

At approximately 11:45 Prison Master Control called a "Code Red" alert requiring all available staff to go to the Separates Unit.  As staff arrived they were instructed to enter the cell and assist with the control and restraint of the prisoner.  The Coroner described the ensuing melee as a "seething mass of humanity" and prison officers describe in detail their part in the attack on this vulnerable man who was unwell, and should have been in safe care receiving appropriate treatment - or bailed to his loving mother.

Eventually, Nicholas was handcuffed, and "Officer A" instructed staff to turn him over so he could get some air.  By then it was too late.  A nurse was called, she could not detect any sign that Nicholas was breathing, and he was not responding to any stimuli.  The nurse then called for an ambulance, stating "Status 1 - Cardiac arrest."  Another nurse applied an oxygen mask.

Nurse 1 asked that the handcuffs be removed immediately and rolled Nicholas onto his back. CPR (Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation) was initiated, but only lasted about eight minutes according to the evidence.  At 11:58 the Nurses advised staff to cease CPR.  The ambulance arrived at 12:10, the ambulance officers were advised that Nicholas was deceased.  They left at 12:30.

At 2:05 Police received a telephone call from Nicholas's mother.  She was advised by Manurewa Police to ring the Police Sergeant conducting the investigation at Waikeria Prison.  Mrs Harris's call was then transferred to the on call Corrections Senior Manager.  At approximately 6 pm the CSM sent Mrs Harris an electronic copy of the death in custody booklet.  Nicholas's body remained on the floor of the cell until the next day, 10th January, when it was eventually taken for a post mortem examination.



This post will be updated shortly.

More information regarding this matter is available on Roger Brooking's site at this link.

James K Baxter's poem is poignant, evocative, and deeply disturbing in its truth:

The Maori Jesus
I saw the Maori Jesus
Walking on Wellington Harbour.
He wore blue dungarees.
His beard and hair were long.
His breath smelt of mussels and paraoa.
When he smiled it looked like the dawn.
When he broke wind the little fishes trembled.
When he frowned the ground shook.
When he laughed everybody got drunk.

The Maori Jesus came on shore.
And picked out his twelve disciples.
One cleaned toilets in the Railway Station;
His hands were scrubbed red to get the shit out of the pores.
One was a call girl who turned it up for nothing.
One was a housewife who’d forgotten the Pill
And stuck her TV set in the rubbish can.
One was a little office clerk
Who’d tried to set fire to the Government Buildings.
Yes, and there were several others;
One was a sad old quean;
One was an alcoholic priest
Going slowly mad in a respectable parish.

The Maori Jesus said, ‘Man,
From now on the sun will shine.’
He did no miracles;
He played the guitar sitting on the ground.
The first day he was arrested
for having no lawful means of support.
The second day he was beaten up by the cops
For telling a dee his house was not in order.
The third day he was charged with being a Maori
And given a month in Mount Crawford.
The fourth day he was sent to Porirua
For telling a screw the sun would stop rising.
The fifth day lasted seven years
While he worked in the asylum laundry
Never out of the steam.
The sixth day he told the head doctor,
‘I am the Light in the Void;
I am who I am.’
The seventh day he was lobotomized;
The brain of God was cut in half.

On the eighth day the sun did not rise.
It didn’t rise the day after.
God was neither alive nor dead.
The darkness of the Void,
Mountainous, mile-deep, civilized darkness
Sat on the earth from then till now.

Nick painted this for his little brother Mune, it was his first painting on wood.

Nicholas Ward Maiava Smith did this painting of his twins Lucy Tainui and Phillip Ngatoimatawhaorua Smith who he adored.

In August 2011 a logging truck desecrated the graves of Nicholas Ward Maiava Harris and his whanau.

Nicholas's mother will not accept lies, cover ups or deceitful excuses for the killing of her son, and like her I am committed to seeking justice for Nicholas, it's the putting right that counts, and while nothing will bring Nicholas back, his children, his mother, his whanau deserve to know the truth about how he was killed and it's vitally important that there is justice for Nicholas - he can't speak any more, we must speak for him or others will die the same way, this isn't an isolated incident - the decision to transfer him from the Kotuku Unit was a death sentence.  The decision to use him as a 'guinea pig' for the newly acquired 'pepper spray' was premeditated murder of a man who was unwell and under stress in an environment he never should have been in.