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:
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.
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