Thursday 24 April 2008

'Pistachio murder': man found not guilty

A Supreme Court jury has found a 29-year-old man not guilty of murdering another man during a fight over pistachio nuts outside a Sydney pub in April 2005.

Twenty-five-year old John Tamapeau died from head injuries after the fight with Damien Hopper outside the Mortdale Hotel in southern Sydney.

The prosecution alleged the fight started when Mr Tamapeau refused to give Mr Hopper a pistachio nut.

Witnesses said they saw the victim trip, fall to the ground and hit his head.

They say another man then sat on him and punched him in the face up to 18 times.

But forensic consultants told the court it is most likely John Tamapeau died from an initial head injury when he fell to the ground.

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