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Offender Database Brownie Mane

Brownie Marsh Mane

Alias

.

Offences

Murdered Marfell, New Plymouth man Christopher Crean in October 1996, shooting him in front of his family.

Victims

Christopher Crean

Offender Affiliations

Robert Maru
Symon Manihera
Denis Luke

Gang affiliations

Black Power

Age

Born 1971

Current Location

Prison

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to life with a 17 year non parole period in October 1997
Eligible for parole December 2013

Background
NZ Herald story here details how the victim was posthumously awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for his courageous stand against Black Power violence.

Waikato Times, 18 December 2008
A convicted murderer was due to leave his prison cell for a speaking engagement in Tokoroa today, angering his victim's widow. The presentation, to a group including at-risk youth and probation officers, was, however, suddenly cancelled by Corrections Department management.

He was to speak under prison guard escort about "actions and consequences" his second such motivational talk outside prison walls this year. The Waikato Times understands the speaker was to be Black Power member Brownie Marsh Mane, who was convicted in 1997 for the brutal murder of New Plymouth man Christopher Crean.

Another three men Symon George Manihera, Dennis Richard Luke and Robert Shane Maru were also jailed for the murder. Mane was described at the time as the "mastermind" of the murder and was given a life sentence with a non-parole period of 17 years. Mr Crean, a devout Christian, was due to give evidence in a court case against Mane, Maru and Manihera after witnessing them brutally bash a Mongrel Mob member.

He was shot in his home while his children and pregnant wife were in bed. Mane spoke at the 2008 annual Justice of the Peace general meeting in Kaio, Northland, under escort. Mr Crean's widow Tania Hay was unaware of Mane's speaking engagements and was disgusted Mane was allowed out of prison.

"It's ridiculous; this is the same guy that told the man who actually shot my husband to shoot my two-year-old daughter. I wouldn't be impressed to have someone like that as a spokesperson. If he has changed his life and people in prison are talking about how he has gone from this man that shot my husband to a reformed person and it's genuine, then he should talk to the youth about that in prison."

Tokoroa police Senior Sergeant Fane Troy said police were asked if there were at-risk youth that would like to attend but Tokoroa police were not asked to supervise Mane's visit. Jeanette Burns, Corrections Northern Assistant Regional Manager, said: "Corrections can confirm that a prisoner has been involved in speaking with other prisoners and some Corrections staff as part of a staff led presentation about actions and consequences.". Ms Burns would not confirm whether Mane was the prisoner due to speak in Tokoroa but said: "There has been some discussion that the presentation be given at ... Tokoroa, but after consultation with Prison Services management it was decided that this was not appropriate."

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Corrections and Additional Information
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