Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Roger Rogerson may make second bid for bail ahead of trial for murder of Jamie Gao



Former detective Roger Rogerson may launch another bid for release on bail ahead of his committal and trial for the murder of Sydney student Jamie Gao.
As Mr Rogerson made a brief appearance via video link in Central Local Court on Tuesday, his barrister George Thomas said the 73-year-old was "anxious" to receive the full brief of evidence against him as he was considering a second bail application.
"We're anxious to have the whole of the brief served - it's been five months waiting," Mr Thomas said in reference to the five months Mr Rogerson has spent in custody since his arrest over Mr Gao's murder in May.
"We're reserving our position regarding a new bail application until we get the balance of the brief [of evidence]."
Mr Rogerson and his former police colleague Glen McNamara allegedly shot Mr Gao, execution-style, in a storage unit in south-west Sydney.
Mr Gao's body was found floating in the ocean off Cronulla Beach a few days later.
The Crown alleges that the two men arranged a drug deal with the 20-year-old, and then murdered him and took a large quantity of the drug "ice" - some of which was allegedly found in Mr McNamara's car soon after.
Both men have pleaded not guilty and made unsuccessful bail applications earlier this year.
Mr Rogerson would need to go to the Supreme Court were he to make another bail application.
Mr Thomas said on Tuesday that his client was still waiting to see what evidence the police had in relation to fingerprints, DNA and other evidence from the alleged crime scene.
He foreshadowed the possibility that Rogerson would apply to cross-examine key witnesses in the case when the matter proceeds to a pre-trial committal hearing next year - an application that is likely to be opposed by the Crown.


No comments:

Post a Comment