A man charged over the fatal beating of a Featherston supermarket worker in what the Crown has labeled vigilante justice has admitted he bears some responsibility for the death, his lawyer says.
Glen Jones' severely injured body was found in his home in January last year and he later died in Wellington Hospital.
Matthew McKinney, Hayden Ranson, Kristopher Jones and Tariana Jones are on trial in the High Court at Wellington charged with his murder.
The Crown says the four accused believed Mr Jones had raped a woman they knew.
However, Mr McKinney's lawyer, Mike Antunovic, said in his closing address in the High Court at Wellington the attack was only meant to be a warning to Mr Jones to leave the woman alone.
Mr Antunovic said his client stood at the doorway keeping a watch out, and any assessment of his intent must be based on his actions at Mr Jones' flat, not what he did before or after the attack.
The Crown has failed to prove its case, and the most Mr McKinney was guilty of was manslaughter, he said.
