Sword attacker denies re-enacting rampage in chat about ‘killing films'
A man accused of murdering a schoolboy during a 20-minute rampage with a Samurai sword has denied re-enacting the violence during a chat about 'killing films' in hospital.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, has claimed he has no memory of killing Daniel Anjorin, 14, and attacking five other people in Hainault, east London, last April 30 while allegedly under the influence of cannabis.
Afterwards, he likened events to Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a 'professional assassin', the court has heard.
Under cross-examination on Monday, the defendant denied being a fan of horror films, saying he liked 'Lego' movies and had not even seen all of The Hunger Games franchise.
Monzo was asked about a conversation he had with a member of staff at Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital to where he was transferred after his arrest.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC said: 'What about other films about killing? Can you remember shortly after you were transferred to Broadmoor a member of staff indicated that they liked horror films and as a result you became animated and you started undertaking a stabbing motion with your arms?'
Monzo replied: 'I don't like horror movies at all. I like action movies with killing in them.'
Mr Little continued: 'You asked the member of staff if they liked 'killing movies'.
'Your stabbing motion is exactly what you do to at least one of the individuals on April 30.'
Monzo replied: 'I don't know.'
The prosecutor asked: 'Do you remember attacking anybody on April 30?'
Monzo replied: 'I don't remember anything.'
Mr Little also quizzed the defendant about a video in which Monzo showed off a sword and described it as 'frigging sexy' before the attacks.
The prosecutor said: 'Did you think that the sword that you used on April 30 was 'frigging sexy'?'
Monzo told jurors: 'I was trying to be funny. If I had watched it back I would not have liked it and deleted it.'
Earlier, the defendant told jurors he believed the earth was flat and the 9/11 terrorist attack in the United States was 'probably' a conspiracy.
He told jurors his views were largely formed after he visited India and started consuming hallucinogenic tea ayahuasca and cannabis.
Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Donato Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Inspector Molloy Campbell with intent.
He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife.
Monzo admits having two swords.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Glenn Close Joins 'The Hunger Games'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close is coming to the world of Panem. The "Tehran" star has been cast as the cruel District 12 escort Drusilla in the upcoming "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping". Joining Close is Billy Porter who will play her estranged husband Magno Stift. Read More: 'Naked Gun' Reboot Trailer Shares First Look at Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson Team Up Close and Porter are now part of a cast that includes Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Ben Wang, Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning and Kieran Culkin. Glenn Close in "Guardians of the Galaxy". Glenn Close in "Guardians of the Galaxy". DISNEY "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" is based on the most recent novel in the series by Suzanne Collins. The film will be directed by Francis Lawrence from a script by Billy Ray. Lawrence has helmed all of "The Hunger Games" films save for the very first one, which was directed by Gary Ross. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpsonare are producing. Cameron MacConomy will executive produce. About Close's casting, Jacobson said, "Glenn Close is a dream Drusilla. She brings so much of her intellect and imagination to each role, creating characters who are unforgettable and iconic. I think Glenn and Francis will have a ball bringing Drusilla from the page to the screen." Jacobson also commented on Porter, adding, "Billy is one of those rare performers who can dazzle and devastate in equal measure on stage and screen. He made an indelible impression on me when we worked together on 'Pose', both as an actor and a human being." "Casting this show has felt like winning the lottery every time one of our idols said yes to us. To be able to announce Glenn Close and Billy Porter together is an embarrassment of riches that we can all celebrate." Like its predecessor, "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", "Sunrise on the Reaping" is a prequel. It takes place 24 years before the events of the first "Hunger Games" novel. The more recent novel, which released on March 18, opens on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games. "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" will be the sixth film in "The Hunger Games series. So far, the films have amassed $3.3 billion at the box office. More Movies: 'Violent Night 2' Brings Back David Harbour as Blood-Soaked Santa Claus 'Spaceballs 2' Recruiting 'Thunderbolts' Star
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Heart's Nancy Wilson Blasts Donald Trump For Playing ‘Barracuda' Without Permission During D.C. Military Parade
Heart's Nancy Wilson and her bandmate and sister Ann Wilson are proud daughters of a Marine Corps major, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist said in a pointed Instagram post on Saturday (June 14) that their band's music is not meant for political purposes. 'Earlier today, during a parade held in support of our nation's military and organized by President Donald Trump, the song 'Barracuda' by Heart was played without permission or authorization from us,' she said of the playing of the group's Billboard Hot 100 No. 11 1977 hit during the military showcase. ''Barracuda,' written and performed by Ann and I, is a powerful piece of music that was never intended for political use,' continued Wilson, who drove home her point by wearing a 'No Kings But Us' hat on a day when a historic number of Americans took to the streets from coast to coast to protest against what they called the creeping authoritarianism of the second Trump administration in a series of 'No Kings' protests. More from Billboard Billy Ray Cyrus Shares Throwback Family Photos for Father's Day Fans Choose j-hope & GloRilla's 'Killin It Girl' as This Week's Favorite New Music Morgan Wallen's 'I'm the Problem' Spends First Month at No. 1 on Billboard 200 'As daughters of a U.S. Marine Corps major, we hold a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces,' wrote Wilson. 'On a day meant to honor that service, it's important that music used in such settings reflects not only the tone of the event but also the wishes of the artists who created it.🤘🏻' According to reports. instrumental versions of Heart's 'Barracuda' and Journey's 'Separate Ways (World's Apart)' were among the songs played at the event that appeared to draw modest crowds at a reported price of $25-$45 million, while the ACLU said that an estimated five million people took part in more than 2,100 'No Kings' rallies across the nation, making it the largest protest in the nation's history. Trump's military parade, which was intended to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday, also fell on the president's 79th birthday. The parading of military hardware through the streets of the nation's capital is an unusual site in the U.S., though Trump has long mused out loud about wanting to hold such an event. The D.C. event came amidst a day of dramatic news, including Iran and Israel battering each other with missiles in what is ramping up to be a major escalation of hostilities between the two nations. In addition, officials in Minnesota launched a massive manhunt for the suspected shooter who assassinated a Democratic state legislator in that state and attempted assassination of another; the now-captured 57-year-old man, Vance Boelter, allegedly had a list of 70 other potential targets in his car. Nancy Wilson has long objected to politicians using her band's music at their rallies, and earlier this year she said she feels 'embarrassed' to call herself an American at this time. 'We were kind of embarrassed at that time to call ourselves American because of the dirty politics of the Vietnam War,' Wilson said of the period that inspired some of the band's most beloved hits, including the anti-Vietnam war single 'Crazy On You,' whose lyrics she added are relevant again. 'To be as subtle as possible, it's more embarrassing now.' She noted that 'Barracuda' was initially written about a sleazy industry figure at the time, though Wilson twisted it to fit the current commander in chief, saying the song is 'even more relevant in the salacious billionaire culture with the grab-them-by-the-(expletive) mentality,' the latter phrase a reference to an infamous sexist comment from Trump. The Wilsons were also peeved when Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin played 'Barracuda' at the 2008 Republican National Convention, sending a cease and desist order to the former Alaska governor demanding she stop using the track as her unofficial theme song. In 2018, singer Ann Wilson told The Hill that any politician was free to use 'Barracuda' on the campaign trail in 2020. 'I think anybody but Trump,' she added. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Glenn Close and Billy Porter to star in The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping
The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping is to star Glenn Close and Billy Porter when it is released next year. Due for release in November 2026, the sixth film in the fantasy franchise will star Close, 78, as escort Drusilla Sickle, and Porter, 55, as stylist Magno Stift – who is also her onscreen husband. It comes after Conclave star Ralph Fiennes was cast as villain President Coriolanus Snow in the prequel, which will be an adaption of the fifth book in the series written by Suzanne Collins. Drusilla Sickle. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters November 20, 2026. — The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) June 16, 2025 The book was published in March 2025 and is a prequel to the original trilogy, which was adapted into the films starring US actress Jennifer Lawrence. Close is best known for her appearances in Fatal Attraction (1988), Dangerous Liaisons (1989), and 101 Dalmatians (1996), where she played Cruella De Vil, while Porter is best known for his performances on Broadway in shows such as Kinky Boots. The new film follows a young Haymitch Abernathy, one of the few Hunger Games winners from the same district as the original trilogy's protagonist Katniss Everdeen, played by Lawrence. Played by Zombieland actor Woody Harrelson, Haymitch is first introduced to readers in the original trilogy as the alcoholic mentor to tributes Katniss and Peeta Mellark, played by Bridge To Terabithia's Josh Hutcherson, before they are sent off to fight to the death in a televised arena. Magno Stift. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters November 20, 2026. — The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) June 16, 2025 The prequel follows Haymitch as he is drawn to fight in the 50th Hunger Games, a violent entertainment set up to maintain control in the fictional country of Panem, and faces double the amount of tributes, two boys and two girls, who are selected from each district. The movie will be directed by Francis Lawrence, who also directed the Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part I, and Mockingjay Part II. The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping will be released in cinemas on November 20, 2026.
