Jesse & Luke’s Families Granted Special Permission For Lamarre-Condon Trial
Image: Luke Davies (left) and Jesse Baird
Proceedings for the Beau Lamarre-Condon trial began today, and family members of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird have been granted special permission to watch the court hearing regarding the alleged murder of their sons.
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Lamarre-Condon trial
Pre-trial proceedings for criminal trial were held today (June 18) at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
The prosecution told the court that the families of Baird and Davies had requested special permission to remotely dial into the court hearing.
Magistrate Daniel Covington granted permission for Davies’ Queensland-based family to watch the hearing online, which is not usually allowed at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court.
Jesse Baird’s family, who live in Victoria, did not watch the hearing.
Lamarre-Condon did not attend the hearing and was represented by his lawyer John Walford.
The case that shook the Australian LGBTQI+ community, and the nation
In February this year, Luke Davies, a former Qantas flight attendant, and his partner, former TV presenter and AFL umpire Jesse Baird, went missing in a case that shook the nation.
Their sudden disappearance triggered a 3-day manhunt for Lamarre-Condon before he turned himself into police.
However, in the days after former police officer handed himself in, NSW Police allege that Lamarre-Condon refused to say where the bodies of the two men had been dumped.
After a fruitless search in a rural property with a dam outside Bungonia near Goulburn, Lamarre-Condon informed detectives that the bodies of Baird and Davies were inside surfboard bags at property near Bungonia.
NSW Police also allege that Lamarre-Condon shot the couple with a police-issued firearm in Baird’s Paddington home on February 19 because he was “obsessed” with Baird, and Davies was “collateral damage”.
Lamarre-Condon was charged with two counts of murder and has remained in custody ever since.
Lamarre-Condon “far from” a plea bargain
Walford has previously said that Lamarre-Condon, who has yet to enter a plea, may rely on mental health grounds and plans to sue NSW Police.
However, Walford told media today that his client is “far from” the stage of a plea bargain.
The Lamarre-Condon trial returns to court on August 13. On this date, the prosecution will confirm the charges being made against Lamarre-Condon, and he will appear in court by audiovisual link.
