Kevin King's retrial to start

The retrial of Kevin King for the manslaughter of Marlborough man Matthew Heagney will begin on Monday.

The trial in the High Court at Wellington is expected to last 10 days.

Mr Heagney, 24, died as a result of head injuries suffered when he landed on the pavement while being removed from the Shapeshifters Bar in Blenheim on August 23, 2009.

King, the former Shapeshifters bar co-owner, was convicted of Mr Heagney's manslaughter in November 2010, but was granted a retrial by the Court of Appeal last year after two of the three appeal judges found the jury had not unanimously decided on the events that led to proving King guilty of manslaughter.

Mr Heagney's father, Pat Heagney, said he and his wife were planning to be at the trial.

King will be represented by Blenheim barrister Bryony Millar, who represented him at his first trial, and Wellington barrister Greg King.

One of New Zealand's most recognised lawyers, Mr King represented Ewen Macdonald, who was acquitted of the murder of his brother-in-law Scott Guy in July. Mr King was also part of the defence team for convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston in 2009, and part of a team that unsuccessfully took a case to the Privy Council seeking leave to appeal against Scott Watson's double murder conviction.

Nelson-based Crown prosecutor Mark O'Donoghue will be acting for the prosecution. Mr O'Donoghue was also the Crown prosecutor at King's first trial.

- The Marlborough Express