Tēnā koe Niki

I refer to your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.

I advise that Police have transferred your request to Ministry of Justice for the Coroner's Office to respond to, as the information to which your request relates is not held by Police but is held by that agency.
In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the OIA to transfer your request.
You will hear further from Ministry of Justice concerning your request - please note you will be asked to provide a personal email address, as Coronial Information is not sent to the FYI.org.nz portal.

Ngā mihi, Michelle

Advisor - Ministerial Services
NZ Police National Headquarters Wellington

-----Original Message-----
From: Niki Hastings <[FOI #32425 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2025 1:52 PM
To: Ministerial Services <[email address]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Official Information request - Requesting a copy of the autopsy report carried out on Paul Melvin Stowers, deceased Oct 25 1990

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the New Zealand Police Network. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and are assured that the content is safe.

Dear New Zealand Police,
I am a NZ citizen currently residing in Auckland, NZ I am requesting a copy of the post mortem autopsy report carried out on Paul Melvin Stowers who died in Auckland Hospital 25/10/90 after being shot by a member of the NZ CONSTABULARY on the same date in Newmarket, Auckland

Yours faithfully,

Niki Hastings

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32425 email]

Is [New Zealand Police request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to New Zealand Police? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

===============================================================

WARNING

The information contained in this email message is intended for the addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this message or any of its contents. Also note, the views expressed in this message may not necessarily reflect those of the New Zealand Police. If you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately

hide quoted sections

Tçnâ koe Niki,

 

As you were advised by Police Ministerial Services on 3^rd October 2025,
your request for information pertaining to the late Paul Melvin STOWERS,
was transferred in full to the Ministry of Justice. As your request is
regarding a closed Coroners Court matter, this office is responding.

 

We understand that you are requesting Mr STOWERS’ post-mortem report and
that you may be conducting research as a family member. Given the
sensitive and graphic nature of the post-mortem report, once a case has
been closed, the post-mortem report can only be released to immediate
family members* or their authorised representative. This is to protect
decedents’ privacy in death.

 

*Immediate family as per section 9(b) of the Coroners Act 2006, includes
persons whose relationship to the [deceased] is through 1 or more
relationships that are, or those of –

                     i.Spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner of
the [deceased];

                    ii.Child, parent, guardian, grandparent, or [sibling]
of the [deceased];

                   iii.Stepchild, stepparent, step[sibling] of the
[deceased].

 

As FYI.org is a public forum where documents we attach to our responses
are automatically uploaded and are able to be downloaded by members of the
public, we ask that this request please be made from a private email. To
be clear, we are not refusing your request, just asking for another avenue
to provide this to you through, should you be entitled to receive it as an
immediate family member.

 

If you are immediate family of Mr STOWERS, please provide a copy of your
ID and any documents or information that can help us verify your relation
to him. This can be emailed to us at
[1][email address]

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in
touch.

 

 

Ngâ mihi nui, nâ | Kind regards,

 

Mia Cutelli-Taylor (she/her/ia)

Ngâi Tahu, Ngâti Mâmoe

 

Administration Support Officer | Office of the Chief Coroner

Ministry of Justice | Tâhû o te Ture

 

DDI: (04) 910 4477

AMP Chambers, 86 Customhouse Quay

DX Box SX11159 | Wellington 6011

 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this message and any
attached documents is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to
whom it is addressed.

Any disclosure, copying or further distribution is prohibited unless
explicitly approved in writing by the Coroners Court. If you have received
this message in error, please advise the sender and destroy all pages
immediately.

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Niki Hastings <[2][FOI #32425 email]>

Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2025 1:52 PM

To: Ministerial Services <[3][email address]>

Subject: [EXTERNAL] Official Information request - Requesting a copy of
the autopsy report carried out on Paul Melvin Stowers, deceased Oct 25
1990

 

CAUTION: This email originated from outside the New Zealand Police
Network. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you recognise the
sender and are assured that the content is safe.

 

Dear New Zealand Police,

I am a NZ citizen currently residing in Auckland, NZ I am requesting a
copy of the post mortem autopsy report carried out on Paul Melvin Stowers
who died in Auckland Hospital 25/10/90 after being shot by a member of the
NZ CONSTABULARY on the same date in Newmarket, Auckland

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Niki Hastings

===============================================================

 

WARNING

 

The information contained in this email message is intended for the
addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be
subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which
creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you
are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this
message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this
message or any of its contents. Also note, the views expressed in this
message may not necessarily reflect those of the New Zealand Police. If
you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the
sender immediately

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[FOI #32425 email]
3. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Kia ora,

 
Thank you for your email. 
We are currently experiencing a high volume of emails. We will endeavour
to respond to you within 3 working days. 

We appreciate your patience. 
 
Ngā mihi nui,
 
Office of the Chief Coroner | Coronial Information

Kia ora Niki,

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, without authorisation from immediate family, we are unable to share any details of the post-mortem report. You are welcome to request other information on Paul's Coroners Court record, by completing and returning the attached Information Request Form (IRF-2). This will help provide some idea of what information may be available to you.

As FYI.org is a public forum where documents we attach to our responses are available to be downloaded by members of the public, we gently note that any request made through FYI.org will have heavier redactions than if it's able to be sent to a personal address. If you would like to receive the most information available to you, we recommend providing a personal email we can send a response too. We also note that any personal information you put on your request form will be available to the public, should you return it to us using FYI.org.

Please let us know if you would like a call to discuss.

Ngā mihi nui, nā | Kind regards,

Mia Cutelli-Taylor (she/her/ia)
Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe

Administration Support Officer | Office of the Chief Coroner
Ministry of Justice | Tāhū o te Ture

DDI: (04) 910 4477
AMP Chambers, 86 Customhouse Quay
DX Box SX11159 | Wellington 6011

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this message and any attached documents is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed.
Any disclosure, copying or further distribution is prohibited unless explicitly approved in writing by the Coroners Court. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender and destroy all pages immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: Niki Hastings <[FOI #32425 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 2:36 PM
To: Coronial.Information <[email address]>
Subject: RE: OIA transfer request: copy of the autopsy report carried out on Paul Melvin Stowers deceased Oct 25 1990

Dear Coronial.Information,

Thank you for your speedy response. I am a cousin and so do not qualify to obtain this information.

I began the process of contacting Pailie's immediate next of kin to obtain permission a week ago but some are deceased, some have lost touch and some are overseas so it is taking longer than expected.

To this end, should I close this request and resubmit once I've fulfilled the requirements or leave it open pending family permission. Please let me know the best option for your department

I should have specified that the only information I needed from this report was the trajectory/ angle the fatal bullet took. The police report states it entered above the left eye and exited the brain at the back of the right ear. I hoped it was possible to be more specific than this. That description leaves too wide a range of variables which puts an understanfing of his death further out of range. This information is intended to be a family archive which is being created for closure and resolution. I really dont require any more from the autopsy report than that which directly informs the angle of trajectory/ precise point of entry and exit at this stage. I understand your constraints for releasing this information, but thought it worth asking

If it is possible to obtain this information without bothering his immediate kin please let me know. I am very happy to discuss if further clarification is required or necessary, either by phone or email

I shall await your advice. My apologies for not being clearer earlier

Yours sincerely,

Niki Hastings

-----Original Message-----

Tçnâ koe Niki,

 

As you were advised by Police Ministerial Services on 3^rd October 2025, your request for information pertaining to the late Paul Melvin STOWERS, was transferred in full to the Ministry of Justice. As your request is regarding a closed Coroners Court matter, this office is responding.

 

We understand that you are requesting Mr STOWERS’ post-mortem report and that you may be conducting research as a family member. Given the sensitive and graphic nature of the post-mortem report, once a case has been closed, the post-mortem report can only be released to immediate family members* or their authorised representative. This is to protect decedents’ privacy in death.

 

*Immediate family as per section 9(b) of the Coroners Act 2006, includes persons whose relationship to the [deceased] is through 1 or more relationships that are, or those of –

                     i.Spouse, civil union partner, or de facto partner of the [deceased];

                    ii.Child, parent, guardian, grandparent, or [sibling] of the [deceased];

                   iii.Stepchild, stepparent, step[sibling] of the [deceased].

 

As FYI.org is a public forum where documents we attach to our responses are automatically uploaded and are able to be downloaded by members of the public, we ask that this request please be made from a private email. To be clear, we are not refusing your request, just asking for another avenue to provide this to you through, should you be entitled to receive it as an immediate family member.

 

If you are immediate family of Mr STOWERS, please provide a copy of your ID and any documents or information that can help us verify your relation to him. This can be emailed to us at [1][email address]

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

 

Ngâ mihi nui, nâ | Kind regards,

 

Mia Cutelli-Taylor (she/her/ia)

Ngâi Tahu, Ngâti Mâmoe

 

Administration Support Officer | Office of the Chief Coroner

Ministry of Justice | Tâhû o te Ture

 

DDI: (04) 910 4477

AMP Chambers, 86 Customhouse Quay

DX Box SX11159 | Wellington 6011

 

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this message and any attached documents is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed.

Any disclosure, copying or further distribution is prohibited unless explicitly approved in writing by the Coroners Court. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender and destroy all pages immediately.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #32425 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections