00:00Following seven days of evidence from 20 witnesses, the jury in the murder trial of 20-year-old
00:07Keith Karanua took less than five hours to reach their unanimous verdict.
00:13Keith Karanua was just 19 years old when he was charged with murdering Declan Lavity in
00:18March last year.
00:20The 20-year-old victim stabbed to death inside a BWS bottle shop in Darwin's northern suburbs.
00:26Karanua pleaded not guilty, arguing he acted in self-defence.
00:30However the jury today found his actions were not reasonable in the circumstances and he
00:35intended to cause serious harm or death to the victim.
00:39The guilty verdict sparked outcry and screams from Karanua's family inside the courtroom,
00:44while the victim's family cried and embraced.
00:47Speaking outside court, the victim's mother, Samara Lavity, described feeling overwhelming
00:52relief following a harrowing trial and a devastating 15 months since her son's death.
00:58Ms Lavity was supported by Declan's auntie and younger sister, the trio wearing matching
01:03All Blacks t-shirts with Declan's name printed on the back.
01:07Ms Lavity said while the outcome had brought her family closure, the trial had been a scarring
01:12experience that would stay with her forever.
01:15He was just a 20-year-old kid at work and for that he died, so yeah, now we've, we've
01:25got justice.
01:26Karanua's lawyer, John Tippett, said he was disappointed with the outcome but that he
01:31would respect the jury's decision.
01:33When asked whether or not he would be appealing, he said that was something that would be determined
01:38over time.
01:39Lawyers will be returning here to the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin for sentencing
01:43submissions before the judge hands down his final sentence in coming weeks.
Comments