4 Dec 2018

Plea bargain considered for NZ man arrested in US

10:14 am on 4 December 2018

Lawyers in America say they are considering a plea bargain in the case of New Zealand man Troy Skinner.

Troy Skinner

Troy Skinner Photo: Supplied / Henrico Jail

The 25-year-old was shot in the neck after allegedly trying to break into the home of a teenage girl he met on the internet.

He faces charges of producing child pornography and online enticement.

According to the police, Mr Skinner was shot at by the mother of the 14-year-old girl.

Police said they found duct tape, a knife and pepper spray in his backpack after the incident in June.

He had flown from New Zealand to Los Angeles.

In a joint motion to allow the usual period for indictment to be extended, prosecution and defence lawyers agreed the case could be delayed until 27 January.

"The parties in this case are exploring a pre-indictment plea," it said. "Delay to allow the parties to evaluate a plea agreement [allows] the parties, the government, and the Court to avoid needless litigation and to evaluate fully a plea offer."

Mr Skinner last appeared in the Goochland County Court in Virginia at the end of October when a charge of armed burglary with intent to commit rape was dropped.

He is alleged to have produced child pornography in February and is charged with coercion and enticement from January to June last year.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs