Alleged killer cop Beau Lamarre-Condon's second legal team announces shock withdrawal from double murder case
Mr Lamarre-Condon has been charged with the murders of 26-year-old former Network 10 presenter Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies, a 29-year-old Qantas flight attendant.
It is alleged Mr Lamarre-Condon shot the Sydney couple with his police-issued pistol last February at the Paddington home of Mr Baird, whom he briefly dated.
The 29-year-old former police officer's case briefly returned to court on Tuesday for a further mention before Magistrate Christopher Halburd.
Until this week, Mr Lamarre-Condon was being represented by NSW Legal Aid after his first lawyer John Walford suddenly pulled out of the proceedings in November.
However, NSW Legal Aid lawyer Alexander Terracini told the court his team was now seeking leave to withdraw from the case.
"An issue has arisen which means we cannot continue in the matter, however that issue arose yesterday," he said.
Mr Terracini said a grant submitted from the Legal Aid Commission of NSW has since been provided to Sydney-based lawyer Benjamin Archbold, who will take over the case.
"We will be delivering the brief of evidence to his firm as soon as possible," Mr Terracini said.
The court heard there is a fairly substantial brief of evidence, consisting of roughly 20 volumes.
Mr Terracini said his current position would be to reject an application by the crown for a committal hearing, but noted it was "ultimately a matter" for his honour.
Mr Archbold said he has read "what he has been served" so far in relation to the case, and a senior counsel is "ready to start".
"I've done everything in my power to be able to advance the matter," he said, asking the court for a six-week adjournment.
However, crown prosecutor Brendan Donnelly argued another lengthy adjournment is not in the interest of justice.
"The crown is ready for this matter to proceed to trial, any further delay means a trial date is pushed down the road," Mr Donnelly said, noting the alleged murders occurred in February last year.
Magistrate Halburd summarised the legal arguments for some family members who had dialled into Tuesday's proceedings.
"I don't know exactly who's listening, but I'm assuming it's people who are related to the deceased in the matter," he said.
Magistrate Halburd told the court he must decide whether it is in the interest of justice to grant an adjournment of up to six weeks.
The magistrate told the court a further six weeks in the scheme of the matter is "not a long period of time".
"These are complex matters, they're always better progressed when people are represented ... and it certainly is in the interest of justice I grant his application," the magistrate said.
Magistrate Halburd granted a six-week adjournment to August 26, and allowed NSW Legal Aid leave to formally withdraw from the case.
Mr Lamarre-Condon's matter on Tuesday was heard at the John Maddison Tower courthouse on Goulburn Street in the Sydney CBD as Downing Centre undergoes extensive repairs due to flooding caused by a burst water pipe in June.
Speaking briefly to media outside court, Mr Archbold said he was "very pleased" the magistrate granted the adjournment.
"I'll have something to say in due time, but for today, that's all," he said.
Mr Lamarre-Condon's mother also made a rare appearance at the courthouse for the brief hearing, but did not make any remarks to reporters outside the building.
Mr Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder, and one count of aggravated break and enter with intent to commit a serious indictable offence.
He is yet to enter pleas to the charges.
Police allege Mr Lamarre-Condon had only premeditated the murder of Mr Baird, while Mr Davies was in the wrong place at the wrong time at the Paddington home.
Mr Lamarre-Condon allegedly concealed the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies under a large tarpaulin in the backyard of the inner-city home after he shot the couple before returning the next morning to move them to Bungonia, about 180 kilometres south-west of Sydney.
The bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies were found in surfboard bags on February 27 at a rural Bungonia property following an extensive police search.
Mr Lamarre-Condon was arrested upon turning himself in to Bondi Police Station on February 23.
He was officially sacked from the NSW Police Force in March last year.
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