Connor Morris’ mother gasped and covered her face with her hands, as a lawyer brandished the weapon allegedly used to kill her son.

On the first anniversary of Connor Morris’ death, his family gathered in a courtroom for his killer’s trial.

The 26 year old was felled by a blow to the back of the head from a sickle, during a fight outside a west Auckland party.

His longterm partner Millie Elder-Holmes, daughter of late broadcaster Sir Paul Holmes, clutched Mr Morris in her arms as he died in the street that night.

Michael Murray is on trial at the High Court in Auckland, charged with his murder.

Crown lawyer David Johnstone today showed the court the large farming tool, used by 33 year old Murray to strike Mr Morris.

"The point, and then the blade of the sickle, entered the side of Mr Morris' head, just behind the ear. The point broke through Mr Morris' skull."

At the sight of the long, rusted sickle, gasps could be heard from the public gallery and jury box.

Connor Morris’ mother Julie, holding back tears, was helped from the courtroom by her husband – Head Hunters gang leader Chris.

She returned while the Crown was still delivering its opening statement.

Lawyers for both sides today painted a picture of a night that would culminate in alcohol-fuelled violence.

Two groups from separate parties became involved in a confrontation on Don Buck Road in Massey.

Events quickly escalated, fighting broke out, and Connor Morris was killed.

Whether the man who dealt the fatal blow intended to end his life is the question.

Michael Murray softly professed his innocence at the High Court in Auckland this morning.

When asked how he pleaded, he responded ‘Not guilty’, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

Flanked by three prison guards, he sat calmly in the dock throughout the first day of his trial.

Following previous threats from Head Hunters associates, there was heightened security at the court, with security guards and electronic scanners in place all day.

On previous court dates family and supporters of Mr Morris had worn t-shirts bearing his image and the message Rest Easy; but today they were made to take them off before entering the court room.

A lawyer for Michael Murray says there is no doubt that he fetched the sickle and struck Mr Morris; but they are arguing that it was an act of defence.

Marie Dyhrberg, QC, says Murray saw Mr Morris assaulting his younger brother, and tried to placate the situation.

"He said to Mr Morris, "that's my brother. That's my brother, please don't hurt him." But Connor Morris was not listening. He kept going."

Ms Dyhrberg says at that point Murray swung the sickle he was holding, with no real thought of what he was doing, just to try and stop the assault.

The blade struck Mr Morris in the back of the head, killing him almost instantly.

The Crown says it cut five centimetres deep; he may have been dead before he hit the ground.

Ms Dyhrberg says Murray did not mean to kill Mr Morris, that there was no murderous intent.

She says he had hoped, perhaps naively, that he could hold the sickle high, wave it around, and prompt the Head Hunter gang members and associates butting heads with his friends and family to back off.

Then it all went wrong.

But the Crown says there was nothing defensive about Murray’s actions.

Prosecutor David Johnstone says Mr Morris was alone, surrounded by a group, when Murray hit him from behind.

"He was not acting to defend himself or any one of his friends when he came straight in with a sickle."

David Johnstone says it cannot be considered reasonable to use a weapon like the sickle, and with such force that it fractures the skull of an unarmed man.

The grief of Mr Morris’ long time girlfriend Millie Elder-Holmes has been front and centre of the media attention surrounding this case.

She was there when he fell; screaming as she raced to his side; cradling his head and trying to stem the never ending flow of blood.

Ms Elder-Holmes is not expected in court for the first days of the trial; she is to be called as a witness, and is likely to give evidence later in the week.

The Crown says when Ms Elder-Holmes screamed that night, people realised what had happened – and at that point, ‘substantial’ violence broke out.

A Police officer says the west Auckland street where Mr Morris was killed looked like a war zone.

Detective Constable Shaun Galbraith arrived shortly after a handful of uniform officers and ambulance staff.

He described for the court the scene at Don Buck Road after Mr Morris was loaded into an ambulance.

"When we arrived, as you can imagine, the scene was pretty chaotic. A lot of people running around, yelling, screaming. I'd describe it a bit like a war zone, to be honest."

Detective Constable Galbraith is one of up to 45 witnesses the Crown intends to call during the trial, which could take three to four weeks.

The jury was today told by the judge, Crown and Defence to put aside both sympathy and prejudice.

In his opening remarks, Justice Edwin Wylie acknowledged to the jury of eight men and four women that some of those involved that night have gang connections.

"There are people in our community who have strong views about such matters and some of you may have strong views or feelings on these subjects, or indeed on the criminal justice system generally."

Justice Wylie says whatever their feelings about such matters, they must put them aside.

He says the jury must use common sense and fairness, weighing the evidence in a clinical fashion and without emotion.