Blayne Shepard, the man accused of beating to death former Royal Marine Brett Williams, will know at the end of June whether Magistrate Trevor Levitt finds him innocent or guilty.Shepard made a brief appearance in the Durban Regional Court this morning when March 27 was set down for the defence and the prosecution to deliver their closing arguments.
June 29 was set down as the day on which Levitt will deliver judgment.
Shepard and three others were accused of beating Williams to death outside Durban’s Kings Park Stadium on the night of March 23, 2013, after the Sharks played the Melbourne Rebels in a Super Rugby match.
In December last year, the court heard that Williams died of an “unbroken fall” due to him possibly being drunk, and not from an assault.
Four people were initially accused of killing Williams. A fifth, Grant Cramer, was initially charged with assault, but turned State witness.
The case against Andries van der Merwe, Dustin van Wyk, and Shepard’s older brother Kyle was discharged in December.
They had each faced a charge of murder, three of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, one of crimen injuria, and one of public violence.
Levitt ruled “uneasily” that the evidence against the three did not reach the required standards for a prima facie case against them.
He said Shepard had to answer to a charge of murder.
Shepard was discharged on all other counts.
Rugby murder accused to know fate in June
Shepard made a brief appearance in the Durban Regional Court this morning when March 27 was set down for the defence and the prosecution to deliver their closing arguments.
June 29 was set down as the day on which Levitt will deliver judgment.
Shepard and three others were accused of beating Williams to death outside Durban’s Kings Park Stadium on the night of March 23, 2013, after the Sharks played the Melbourne Rebels in a Super Rugby match.
In December last year, the court heard that Williams died of an “unbroken fall” due to him possibly being drunk, and not from an assault.
Four people were initially accused of killing Williams. A fifth, Grant Cramer, was initially charged with assault, but turned State witness.
The case against Andries van der Merwe, Dustin van Wyk, and Shepard’s older brother Kyle was discharged in December.
They had each faced a charge of murder, three of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, one of crimen injuria, and one of public violence.
Levitt ruled “uneasily” that the evidence against the three did not reach the required standards for a prima facie case against them.
He said Shepard had to answer to a charge of murder.
Shepard was discharged on all other counts.
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