TV reality star trial over chopper crash delayed again
The February 2022 crash killed Wright's friend and Outback Wrangler TV show co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson, who was hanging from a sling under the chopper on a mission to collect crocodile eggs.
A jury was set to be chosen on Thursday.
But in the Supreme Court in Darwin on Wednesday, Acting Justice Allan Blow rescheduled the empanelment for August 5.
It ensures the jury will be selected following a long weekend, with August 4 marking the Picnic Day public holiday in the territory.
The start of the trial has been delayed several times and pre-trial legal argument before Justice Blow is set to continue this week.
On Monday Wright pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, accused of tampering with evidence to cover up non-adherence to aircraft maintenance rules.
The trial is expected to take up to four weeks and hear from about 25 witnesses.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the crash near the King River in Arnhem Land found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel.
The crash into a paperbark swamp killed Mr Wilson, 34, and critically injured pilot Sebastian Robinson, 28.
The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum 15-year jail term in the NT.
Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
26 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Investigators to wrap up public hearings into fatal midair crash between Army chopper and airplane
The National Transportation Safety Board on Friday enters its third and final day of public testimony over the fatal midair crash between an Army helicopter and commercial jet in January. Two previous days of testimony underscored a number of factors that likely contributed to the collision that left all 67 people aboard both aircrafts dead, sparking Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to urge the Federal Aviation Administration to 'do better' as she pointed to warnings the agency ignored years earlier.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gilbert Arenas speaks out following release after arrest for illegal gambling ring in his Los Angeles mansion: ‘They can't hold me'
Gilbert Arenas was arrested on Wednesday, July 30 and has been charged with three counts in connection to an illegal gambling ring. Gilbert Arenas is celebrating his release a day after he was arrested for his connection with an illegal gambling ring in his Los Angeles mansion. On Wednesday, July 30, the 43-year-old former NBA star was arrested on federal charges of operating an illegal gambling ring alongside five others and accused of hosting high-stakes poker games at his Los Angeles mansion, CNN reported. In a video uploaded to X shortly after his release, on Thursday, July 31, the former Wizards player dances down the precinct steps, pumping his fists and chanting, 'They can't hold me.' 'Im Back on the Streets,' he wrote in the post. 'This aint got shyt to do with me ' just rented the house' Wasnt apart.' Arenas, a former NBA All-Star best known for his explosive scoring and time with the Washington Wizards, was arrested on three federal felony counts: conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, operating that business, and making false statements to federal investigators, per the Department of Justice. Prosecutors allege that between September 2021 and July 2022, Arenas allowed his mansion to be used for high-stakes poker games and directed an associate to coordinate the logistics, including hiring staff, collecting house cuts on each hand, and ensuring rent was paid. The arrest came after a lengthy investigation, which began after law enforcement raided the home in July 2022, BBC News reported. The games allegedly included chefs, valets, armed security, and young women hired to serve drinks, provide massages, and entertain players. According to court documents, even the women's tip earnings were taxed by those running the games. One co-defendant, Yevgeni Gershman, who has been described as a suspected organized crime figure from Israel, has been linked to a broader scheme involving immigration and marriage fraud. The other defendants include Evgenni Tourevski, 48, Allan Austria, 52, Yarin Cohen, 27, and Ievgen Krachun, 43. Arenas was released on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on September 23. If convicted, each charge carries a potential five-year sentence. For now, he maintains his innocence and claims he didn't have a direct hand in the operation. More must-reads: Gunman shot by officers after killing 3 people outside a Reno casino has died, police say Diddy wants out of jail — and his lawyers just filed a new motion claiming he's no criminal, just a 'voyeur' Texas Republicans propose new US House map with more winnable GOP seats
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Australia becoming a more violent country?
Almost every day, it seems we read or hear reports another family is grieving the murder of a loved one in a street brawl, another business owner is hospitalised after trying to fend off armed robbers, or shoppers simply going about their business are confronted by knife-wielding thugs. The way media and politicians talk, it seems as if we are in the middle of an unprecedented violent crime crisis. But are we? The short answer is: no. Comparing today with the past Although the numbers fluctuate from year to year, Australia is less violent today than in previous years. It is difficult to make direct comparisons over decades, because the way crimes are defined and recorded changes (especially for assault). Weapons and violence are rarely out of the media cycle in Australia, leading many to fear this country is becoming less safe for everyday people. Is that really the case, though? This is the first story in a four-part series. For crimes like domestic violence, the statistics are extremely hard to compare over time but even so, prevalence appears to have declined (although only about half of all women who experience physical and/or sexual violence from their partners seek advice or support). However, if we consider homicide and robbery (which have been categorised much the same way over time), the numbers have been falling for decades. Yes, knives and bladed weapons have been in the news recently, but this does not mean they are being used more often. Reliable, long-term statistics are not always available but the ones we have show the use of weapons has declined over time. Interestingly, this seems to have nothing to do with the weapons themselves. For instance, armed robbery and unarmed robbery both rise and fall in about the same way, at about the same time. Homicide follows a similar pattern. Not all crimes are reported to police but self-reported statistics show the same trends. Relative to ten years ago, Australians now are less likely to say they have experienced physical or threatened face-to-face assault in the previous 12 months. Places with greater socioeconomic disadvantage typically experience more violence. In Queensland, for instance, Mt Isa has higher violent crime rates than affluent areas of Brisbane. Despite differences between places, there is generally less violence than there used to be. Why is violence declining? Nobody knows quite why violence is decreasing. This is not just happening in Australia but across many developed nations. Suggestions include better social welfare, strong economies, improved education, low unemployment, women's rights and stable governance. Also, new avenues have opened up that carry less risk than violent crime – such as cyberfraud instead of robbing a bank. There is no clear, compelling explanation. Yet when we consider Australia's responses when violence does occur, measures such as bans (for example, on machetes), more police powers and more (or longer) prison sentences have become the fallback. Evidence shows these types of reactions achieve little, but in an environment of endless 'crisis' it is almost impossible to make good decisions. This is made even harder in circumstances where victims and activists push politicians to implement 'feel-good' policies, regardless of how ultimately fruitless those will be. Who are the people being violent? One thing remains the same: violent crime is primarily committed by younger men (who are also likely to be victims). Ethnicity and migration are also recurrent themes. Just as young Italians with switchblades were the focus of moral panic in the 1950s and 60s, migrants from places such as Africa and the Middle East are now held up as a danger. Ethnicity/migration history data is not always recorded in crime statistics, but the information we do have suggests a more complex picture. Factors such as exposure to warfare and civil strife can certainly play a role in people's use of violence. However, unemployment, poverty, poor education and involvement with drugs and/or gangs tend to play a much larger part. Reactions versus reality If society is less violent, why are public reactions to violence seemingly becoming more intense? Incidents that would have received little attention a decade ago now dominate public debate and single incidents – no matter how rare or isolated – are enough to provoke sweeping legislative and policy changes. Violence is political currency. The more the spectre of violence is emphasised and exaggerated, the more power people are willing to give to authorities to do something to fix it. This is also about psychology: the better things get, the more sensitive people tend to be to whatever ills remain and resilience can crumble when something bad does happen. Pandering to this by rushing to make people feel safer – while politically irresistible – has unintended consequences. When another incident occurs, as it always does, people feel even more vulnerable because they were led to believe the problem had been 'fixed'. This creates a never-ending cycle of superficial responses while underlying issues are ignored. We cannot legislate or politicise our way out of violence. The best responses are ones that identify and address actual root causes and look at the circumstances that surround violence – rather than fixating on the violence itself. This means moving away from emotional reactions and taking a clear look at why violence occurs in the first place. Until this happens, any further reductions in violence are more likely to be good luck than good management. This article is republished from The Conversation. It was written by: Samara McPhedran, Griffith University Read more: Grattan on Friday: Aggrieved Liberals stamp their feet, testing Sussan Ley's authority Progress on Closing the Gap is stagnant or going backwards. Here are 3 things to help fix it The Greens' expulsion of a co-founder is unlikely to jeopardise the party's future Samara McPhedran has received funding from various Australian and international government grant programs, including the Australian Research Council and Criminology Research Council, for a number of projects relating to violence. She has been appointed to various advisory panels and committees, including as a member of the Queensland Ministerial Advisory Panel on Weapons. She does not receive any financial remuneration or other reward for these activities. She is the Executive Director (Analysis, Policy and Strategy) of the Violence Prevention Institute Australia. She is not, and has never been, a member of any political party. The views expressed are those of the author alone.
