So after eight weeks in court, and more than three years of living under suspicion - Philip Polkinghorne is not guilty.

This verdict today will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone who's been following this trial closely.

The Crown simply did not have a good case, at no point, really, was it actually convincing. But when it came to closing arguments last week, it became really obvious how weak the case against him was.

The best piece of evidence they had, according to them, was that Pauline Hanna had told someone one time that he tried to strangle her about a year before she died. That was the best they did - that's not much, is it?

So, no surprise it took the jury only 10 hours to decide to find him not guilty.

I don't know where this leaves Philip Polkinghorne, because the jury made it clear today with that questions to the judge that most of them don't think Pauline Hanna killed herself. 

But some didn’t think there was enough evidence against Philip Polkinghorne.

And after 8 weeks of his intimate details being aired to the country, he must be humiliated. We know how extensive his drug use was, that he was seeing hookers, how much he regularly spent on those hookers and drugs, and his intimate messages to women.

I often wonder how other people who’ve been accused of very high profile murders manage to keep living here in such a small country afterwards. I feel like with him it’s even more pronounced.

Because not only was this case extremely high profile and often the most read story on news websites every day - but then there was everything else.

LISTEN ABOVE

So after eight weeks in court, and more than three years of living under suspicion - Philip Polkinghorne is not guilty.
This verdict today will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone who's been following this trial closely.
The Crown simply did not have a good case, at no point, really, was it actually convincing. But when it came to closing arguments last week, it became really obvious how weak the case against him was.
The best piece of evidence they had, according to them, was that Pauline Hanna had told someone one time that he tried to strangle her about a year before she died. That was the best they did - that's not much, is it?
So, no surprise it took the jury only 10 hours to decide to find him not guilty.
I don't know where this leaves Philip Polkinghorne, because the jury made it clear today with that questions to the judge that most of them don't think Pauline Hanna killed herself. 
But some didn’t think there was enough evidence against Philip Polkinghorne.
And after 8 weeks of his intimate details being aired to the country, he must be humiliated. We know how extensive his drug use was, that he was seeing hookers, how much he regularly spent on those hookers and drugs, and his intimate messages to women.
I often wonder how other people who’ve been accused of very high profile murders manage to keep living here in such a small country afterwards. I feel like with him it’s even more pronounced.
Because not only was this case extremely high profile and often the most read story on news websites every day - but then there was everything else.
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: No surprises in the Polkinghorne verdict

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/65d254ce-8f92-41e6-9c6d-b1f4004a38fc/transcript

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