Here are some closing comments from Margaret Cunneen:
The crown has relied on the CCTV, saying it made no sense for Mr Fainu to climb the fence, while in a sling, to get back into the church when he could have walked back in the front gate.
However, defence barrister Margaret Cunneen SC also pointed to the video.
It showed Mr Fainu throwing his sling, as well as a white towel he was wearing on his head, over the fence as he jumped back into the Coles car park before running to his car.
However, she said, no knife was thrown over by Mr Fainu, suggesting it was not in his possession.
“The sling was taken by police … The sling was examined for DNA,” Ms Cunneen said.
“There is no blood in it, no DNA except Mr Fainu’s. He’s holding it; he’d have to be holding the knife as well. And the knife must have blood on it. But there’s no DNA on the sling.”
She said it “defies credulity” that Mr Fainu would stab anyone given his standing in the community and he had no quarrel with anyone at the dance.
“Mr Fainu has really suffered by his position as a football player,” she said.
“It was easy to blame it on him because some people knew him and the sling stood out.”
The trial will continue on Thursday when the jury is expect to retire to consider its verdict.
