David Benbow's defence team has told the jury the Crown case against Benbow is "on fire in the dumpster" because of a key witness in the trial changing her evidence.
The defence closed their case on Tuesday and said Benbow is a teddy bear, a big softy and an innocent man.
Benbow sat upright in court on Tuesday listening to his lawyer, Marc Corlett, make a very animated closing statement to the jury, saying the Crown's case is like a cheap Easter egg.
"Once you punch through, it's hollow in the middle and the bits of the shell just start crumbling into a pile," Corlett told jurors.
He also called it an exploding grenade.
"The Crown case is on fire in the dumpster because the electricity evidence they relied on is wrong, wrong, wrong."
He's talking about the electricity evidence concerning missing man Michael McGrath’s house on Checketts Ave in Halswell.
The Crown's electricity expert had to come back to court to correct her evidence and said the power spike at McGrath's house was later than she originally said and was at the same time he was supposed to be being shot by Benbow.
"My learned friend didn't comment on it all. And the reason that he didn't comment on it is because he's an experienced prosecutor and he's playing it strategically. He knows that that evidence is fatal to the Crown case," Corlett said.
Benbow is on trial for murdering his friend McGrath after he got together with Benbow's ex.
The defence spent nearly four hours criticising the Crown's entire case.
"Candys, nothing found. Camry, nothing found. Subaru, nothing found. Dump, nothing found. River, nothing found," Corlett said.
He added the defendant is actually a big softy.
"It's not in any way that Mr Benbow was turning from some big softy everyone knew to some evil genius who killed and miraculously hid the crime."
Another crucial Crown witness, Stephen Robinson, is the only person who allegedly saw Benbow and McGrath together on the day in question, saying they were standing on the verge outside Benbow's house chatting.
The defence said the notion is ridiculous.
"We'll wave to the people as they go by, hello Mr Robinson. So everybody can see us. Oh and then come inside so I can murder you!"
After Justice Eaton sums up the case, the jury will begin deliberations on Wednesday.
