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A white supremacist responsible for the deaths of 51 Muslim worshippers and the injury of numerous others in New Zealand is now challenging his conviction and sentence.
Brenton Tarrant, 35, unleashed gunfire on two Christchurch mosques in March 2019, marking the deadliest mass shooting in New Zealand’s history.
The Australian citizen was found guilty of 51 murder charges, 40 counts of attempted murder, and a single charge related to committing a terrorist act.
Tarrant is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
This case was unprecedented in New Zealand, as it was the first instance where a court handed down a life sentence without parole.
While Tarrant pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2020, he is applying for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence.
“I only entered a guilty plea under duress through torture,” he wrote in the notice of appeal.
Tarrant released a racist manifesto shortly before storming the mosques armed with military-style semi-automatics, indiscriminately shooting at Muslims gathered for Friday prayers and live-streaming the killings on Facebook using a head-mounted camera.
New Zealand’s worst peacetime killing shocked the country and prompted the government to quickly tighten gun laws.
The hearing will begin in Wellington on Monday, with the Court of Appeal to consider an application to vacate the Australian man’s guilty pleas and for a trial to be held.
If the court declines that request, he wants leave to appeal his sentence.
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