Court of Appeal to Review Christchurch Shooter’s Guilty Pleas

The Court of Appeal in New Zealand will review an application this week from Brenton Tarrant, the individual responsible for the Christchurch mosque shootings, to vacate his guilty pleas and stand trial again. Tarrant, an Australian national, was convicted of murdering 51 people during the attacks at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on March 15, 2019. He had pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one charge of terrorism in March 2020 at the High Court.

In August 2020, Tarrant was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, which is the maximum penalty under New Zealand law. Now, he seeks to appeal both his convictions and the sentence imposed. The Court of Appeal must first decide whether to allow the appeal, as Tarrant’s application was filed after the expected deadline.

During the week-long hearing, Tarrant is expected to provide evidence. The core issue for the court is whether he was capable of making rational decisions when he entered his guilty pleas. Tarrant claims that the conditions in prison, which he describes as torturous and inhumane, impaired his ability to make sound judgments.

Should the Court of Appeal grant Tarrant’s application to vacate his guilty pleas, the case would return to the High Court for a new trial. If the application is denied, a subsequent hearing will address his appeal against the life sentence later this year.

The hearing will be presided over by Court of Appeal President Justice Christine French, Justice Susan Thomas, and Justice David Collins. Security measures at the court will be heightened, with access restricted to lawyers, media, and authorized personnel. The proceedings will be available for victims and their families to view via a delayed stream in an adjoining courtroom and at the Law Courts in Christchurch.

In addition to the appeal, Tarrant is also expected to testify at the Coroners Court, as he has been cleared to do so by the High Court. This decision comes despite pushback from survivors and families of the victims. Previously, Tarrant was interviewed by a Royal Commission of Inquiry regarding the terror attacks, providing further context to the events that unfolded on that tragic day.