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A man who had been assaulted stayed in his room for a day and a half, refusing medical help before dying.
Christchurch man Michael Joseph Graham, 57, died on a Kāinga Ora property on England St, Linwood on January 3. Nathan Ihaka Te Hana, 46, who lived on the same property, has been charged with her murder.
The two men’s housemate, who did not want to be identified, said Stuff on Sunday, he and Graham spent most of New Year’s Day drinking. Te Hana, who he said did not drink, was away most of the day.
The housemate, who said he was “pretty mad” that night, is the tenant of the state house and sleeps in the downstairs living room, giving the two upstairs rooms to Graham and Te Hana.
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Around 8:30 the next morning, Graham came downstairs and spoke to the tenant and another man.
“He was here like half an hour and he said, ‘Did someone attack me last night?’ And a friend said, ‘Nathan had a good try with you.’
Graham then said that he was not feeling well and that he was going to go back to bed.
Steven Walton / Stuff
A police tent was set up on the property on England St in Linwood, Christchurch.
“I really didn’t think about it much, I thought he had gone to sleep,” said the housemate.
“It was consistent … I had no reason to think it was wrong at that stage.”
About two hours later, Te Hana arrived and spoke to the tenant to ask if he had seen Graham.
“I said yes I was here this morning …”
“I could feel that he was very, very worried about Michael and would say things like how much he loves me and things like that.”
Later that day, one of Graham’s friends went to see how he was doing and suggested calling an ambulance, but he refused. The housemate said an ambulance was also offered Friday night, but he had been told that Graham refused.
On the morning of January 3, one of the neighbors went to check on Graham and was unable to see him in his room.
“I thought I must have gone for a walk,” said the roommate.
Supplied
Nathan Ihaka Te Hana, 46, has been charged with the murder of Michael Joseph Graham.
However, a couple of hours later, someone else went to check on Graham and found that he had fallen between the bed and the wall.
“They said he’s in his room and he doesn’t look good at all, you can come and have a look, I think he needs an ambulance.
“He was breathing, he was in a recovery position between the bed and the wall.”
The colleague borrowed someone’s cell phone and called emergency services, monitoring his breathing until paramedics from St. John arrived.
“I had no idea he was dating.”
Paramedics would eventually tell him that the 57-year-old was dead.
“I was surprised,” he said.
He said that he was not allowed to return home and that he was taken to the police station for an interview. He returned home on Wednesday.
“This is a somewhat drunk house and therefore things explode without cause, but it was all over the next day,” he said from his living room.
I’m going out on Monday or Tuesday because I hate this house. I’m very quiet, I’m so skinny, I’m not physical at all, but I get my fair share of deals and I got over it. “
He said he didn’t want Te Hana to live there.
“I can’t say no to these p… henchmen, I wouldn’t say they bully themselves on their way back, but they will come in and not leave. They leave me with no option ”.
He met Graham about six years ago through a friend who met him on the street. They lived together “from time to time” since then.
“A lovely boy, he had problems… he had a hard time, and he definitely had his problems, but he had a big heart. He was a good guy, he would do anything for anyone I created, but when he got drunk he changed a lot. “
Graham was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday on charges of intentional harm, assault on police and resisting police.
The housemate said the charges were related to an incident when he was drunk walking home from Sydenham. He went to sleep in a gutter, but people kept checking to see if he was okay.
He finally decided to get away from the ditch and knocked over a vehicle’s rear view mirror. The police were called and he had a “confrontation” with the police.
Te Hana did not plead guilty to the murder charge and did not request bail during his appearance in Christchurch District Court.
His lawyer requested that the name be temporarily suppressed so that he could inform his family of his arrest. Judge Stephen O’Driscoll said that was not reason enough for a name suppression order and rejected the request.
Te Hana was placed in pretrial detention to appear before the High Court on February 4.
As he was being taken to the cells, a woman yelled from the public gallery, “I’m sorry, Nathan.”
