Teen thought Tauri was dead
A teenager told police he thought Tauri Litchfield was dead and may have had "bleeding in his head" after knocking his head on the concrete after falling off a ledge.
The Perth Children's Court was today shown a police interview with one of the five teenagers on trial for murder over the death of Tauri Litchfield in March last year.
In the interview, the 16-year-old denied the group had been chasing Mr Litchfield before he fell from a ledge.
The teenager said Mr Litchfield slapped one of the boys he thought had tried to steal his wallet, and the boy punched Mr Litchfield, knocking him over.
He said Mr Litchfield got to his feet and tried to run on to the road before the incident where he fell from the concrete ledge.
The teenager said Mr Litchfield appeared to land on his feet and tried to spin around when he fell over and hit his head on the concrete.
The 16-year-old said they thought Mr Litchfield was going to get up and he was a "little bit" worried when he failed to get to his feet.
The teenager told police he asked the group whether they should call an ambulance, saying he thought Mr Litchfield was dead and may have "bleeding in his head" and or had cracked his skull.
He said one of the boys in the group said they shouldn't call an ambulance because Mr Litchfield was just knocked out and would be alright.
The teenager is one of five facing trial after pleading not guilty to murdering Mr Litchfield.
State prosecutors yesterday dropped a murder charge against a sixth teenager.
The prosecution case, which continues against the remaining five teenagers, alleges the group came across Mr Litchfield walking along Pinjarra Road in Mandurah on the evening of March 17 last year.
It is alleged that the youngest in the group, a 14-year-old, had touched Mr Litchfield's back pocket and was possibly attempting to pickpocket his wallet.
The 28-year-old responded by swiping the teenager across the back of his head with an open palm. The 14-year-old allegedly retaliated by punching Mr Litchfield with enough force to knock his from his feet.
Prosecutors allege that after Mr Litchfield got to his feet and fled, the group chased him until he fell or tripped over a wall and hit his head on a bitumen carpark.
He died later the same night in hospital.
