Philip Polkinghorne murder trial: Jury expected to resume deliberation

Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

The jury in the trial of former eye surgeon Philip Polkinghorne is expected to resume deliberation on Monday morning.

The trial in the High Court at Auckland is entering its ninth week, and has heard from more than 80 witnesses.

The Crown's argument was that Polkinghorne faced a combination of methamphetamine use, financial woes, and infidelity that drove him to murder his wife, Pauline Hanna.

The defence claimed Hanna, 63, took her own life after struggling with depression for years.

The jury began deliberation on 19 September.

Proceeding were delayed that morning, with technical issues getting in the way of the 11 jurors listening to Polkinghorne's call to 111 after his wife's death.

During the call, the retired eye surgeon began loudly sobbing in court, needing to be excused, and sending the court into an adjournment.

Jurors returned to listen to another recording, this time of Hanna airing frustrations to her brother Bruce and niece Rose about her marriage to Polkinghorne, before going into deliberation.

After hours of deliberation, the jury was sent home without reaching a verdict.

The trial did not sit on Friday, and is expected to resume on Monday morning.