WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A jury began its deliberations Wednesday in the trial of a man accused of murdering five people in Wellington, New Zealand, by deliberately setting fire to a boarding house that was nearly full when the blaze swept through the building.

The 50-year-old man, whose name was suppressed for the duration of the trial at the High Court in Wellington, pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges for allegedly starting the May 2023 fire that killed five men at Loafers Lodge, a 92-bed hostel.

Jury must decide if defendant was insane when he set the fire

His lawyers didn't deny that their client lit the blaze, but they said he was not guilty by reason of insanity. In New Zealand, this means a jury must accept the defendant was incapable of understanding that his action

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