Kerinauia murder trial hears from former manager of fatal stabbing victim Declan Laverty
The jury has been shown two knives found in Declan Laverty's jean pockets during a confronting day of evidence in the murder trial of Keith Kerinauia. Mr Kerinauia is pleading not guilty and is arguing he acted in self-defence on the night of the stabbing in March last year.
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00:00Inside this bottle shop, the bloodied body of Declan Lavity lay sprawled on the floor
00:07as police and forensics swarmed the scene collecting evidence which was today shown
00:12in the murder trial of Keith Kerenua.
00:14Confronting images of Mr Lavity's wounds and photos of two knives found in his jean
00:19pockets, part of the evidence presented to the jury.
00:23The court heard a folding knife was found in the victim's front right pocket, a box
00:27cutter in the back right.
00:29The manager of the airport tavern BWS Lolita Lamberto was questioned about the company's
00:35workplace policies, telling the court employees were able to access certain cutting implements
00:40including retractable blades, scissors and a box cutter for cutting plastic strapping
00:46and opening boxes of stock.
00:48Did you ever tell anyone they were allowed to bring their own cutting implement to work?
00:53No.
00:54Ms Lamberto also told the court Mr Lavity was up to date with his training, including
00:58how to de-escalate potentially dangerous situations.
01:02When asked about Mr Lavity's application of the rules at work, Ms Lamberto said she
01:06couldn't fault him and said he'd never had any dramas.
01:09However, she also described Mr Lavity as a bit of a hothead during her statement to police.
01:15The detective who arrested Mr Kerenua around 4.15 the morning after the stabbing has told
01:21the court the then 19-year-old was shocked to learn he was under arrest for murder and
01:26had told him Declan Lavity came at him with a knife as well.
01:30He spoke for about 15 minutes protesting that I guess in a way it was self-defence, but
01:36he wasn't using the words self-defence.