Beau Lamarre-Condon’s double murder trial begins
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Beau Lamarre-Condon’s criminal trial in the Supreme Court in Sydney.
The former NSW police officer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder over the shooting deaths of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Baird’s eastern suburbs home in February 2024.
He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated break and enter of Baird’s home in August 2023 and stealing a mobile phone and wallet belonging to Baird.
Justice Natalie Adams is presiding over the trial in the historic King Street court complex in Sydney.
Adams told the pool of potential jurors before the jury was selected that the trial was estimated to run for up to 12 weeks. Fifteen jurors were empanelled on Monday afternoon.
The opening address by Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, is expected to start after 2pm and run for about two hours. Defence barrister John Stratton, SC, will also deliver an opening.
The judge told the jury she would deliver some introductory remarks after 1.45pm, followed by the Crown’s opening.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
Lamarre-Condon allegedly disguised as Uber Eats rider
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield, SC, said in remarks to the wider jury pool, before the jury of 15 was selected, that Lamarre-Condon became romantically involved with Jesse Baird in late 2022, and that the relationship continued into 2023.
Hatfield is expected to deliver his opening address to the jury after 2pm today.
Hatfield alleged the accused “developed an infatuation and obsession” with Baird which “manifested itself in a range of compulsive behaviour”.
The Crown case is that the behaviour escalated after Baird ended all contact with Lamarre-Condon in mid-November 2023.
Judge warns jurors not to do their own research
Before the jury was selected, Justice Natalie Adams delivered the standard warning to the pool of potential jurors about the prohibition on conducting their own research.
“For example, you can’t Google to find out anything about the witnesses or the barristers or about the accused,” the judge said.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of not doing that. In fact, it is a criminal offence for a juror to undertake that sort of research.”
Beau Lamarre-Condon’s double murder trial begins
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Beau Lamarre-Condon’s criminal trial in the Supreme Court in Sydney.
The former NSW police officer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder over the shooting deaths of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Baird’s eastern suburbs home in February 2024.
He has also pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated break and enter of Baird’s home in August 2023 and stealing a mobile phone and wallet belonging to Baird.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
