Christchurch massacre suspect appears in court, faces psychological test to determine whether he is fit to face trial on 50 murder charges
- Suspect appeared by audiovisual link from Auckland, where he is being held in isolation in a maximum-security prison
- Several relatives of victims were in the court getting their first glimpse of the man charged with the massacre
A New Zealand judge on Friday ordered the accused Christchurch mosque gunman to undergo a mental health assessment to determine if he is fit to face trial for the murder of 50 Muslim worshippers.
The 28-year-old Australian will be seen by two health assessors to determine “whether he is fit to stand trial or insane”, High Court judge Cameron Mander ruled during a brief hearing in Christchurch.
Tarrant appeared by audiovisual link from Auckland, where he is being held in isolation in a maximum-security prison following the deadliest massacre in modern New Zealand history.
The suspect – a self-avowed white supremacist – sat motionless throughout the hearing. He was not required to enter a plea.
Several relatives of victims were in the court getting their first glimpse of the man charged with the massacre.
“[I] just want to see what he has to say, what sort of feeling he’s got, [his] emotion, to see what his reaction is, good or bad,” Yama Nabi, whose 71-year-old father was killed, told Radio New Zealand outside the court.