Convicted axe murderer John Ericson is seeking a royal pardon.
Ericson, 48, is serving a life sentence in prison for killing his wife with a hatchet in Blenheim in 1999.
Ericson has told the Parole Board he has applied to the Governor-General to exercise his powers of royal pardon on behalf of the Queen.
Meanwhile, the Parole Board has again denied Ericson an early release from prison. It says he poses a moderate risk of reoffending.
Ericson escaped from a work gang outside Wellington prison in 2007 and spent two days at large.
