A man charged with the stabbing murder of a Melbourne boy in a fight over a baseball cap didn't plan to kill him, his lawyer says.
Joshua Horton, 19, is standing trial for the murder of 17-year-old Maaka Hakiwai at Kings Park in September 2019.
Horton and his friends drove up to Maaka and his older brother Nathaniel as the pair waited at a bus stop, with the intention of robbing them, prosecutor Ray Gibson told Victoria's Supreme Court on Monday.
A fight broke out after one of Horton's friends tried to steal Nathanial's Philadelphia 76ers cap, Mr Gibson said.
The jury was told Horton joined the fray, stabbing Maaka once in the abdomen and his older brother twice in the leg.
As well as murder, Horton is charged with intentionally and recklessly causing serious injury.
Horton admitted to killing Maaka with the knife within 16 seconds of leaving the car, his lawyer Sam Norton said.
But he also said the attack wasn't planned and Horton should be found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder.
"It's plainly a sad case - there's the tragic loss of a young life," Mr Norton said.
"You'll be appalled by what Joshua Horton did. But that doesn't make it murder.
"Mr Horton isn't entitled to your sympathy, but he's entitled to a fair trial."
Nathaniel rang his father for help after he and his brother were stabbed, but Maaka died from blood loss.
The trial is due to continue on Tuesday.
