Vic: Police murder jury retires after fourth day deliberating
MELBOURNE, Dec 27 AAP - The jury considering verdicts in the trial of two men accusedof murdering of two police officers has again been locked in for the night, after a fourthday of deliberations.
The seven women and five men members of the jury will resume their duties at the VictorianSupreme Court tomorrow morning.
They began deliberating at 10.30am on Monday, following a hearing which started on August 14.
The trial judge, Justice Philip Cummins, allowed them a Christmas break from noon onChristmas Eve until Boxing Day morning.
Bandali Michael Debs, 49, of Narre Warren, and Jason Joseph Roberts, 22, of Cranbourne,have pleaded not guilty to the murders of Sergeant Gary Silk, 35, and Senior ConstableRod Miller, 34.
The officers were gunned down on August 16, 1998, during a surveillance operation designedto capture two men responsible for a series of armed robberies in Melbourne's south-east.
They were shot after pulling over a suspect car just after midnight during a stakeoutof a Chinese restaurant in Moorabbin.
The crown alleges that Debs and Roberts were also responsible for the armed robberies.
Neither of the accused gave evidence, but through their barristers they stated theywere not present at the scene of the shootings.
They also deny any involvement in the armed robberies.
The crown says secretly recorded conversations between the Debs and Roberts point totheir guilt, and that tests have proved windscreen fragments found at the scene came froma car belonging to one of Debs' daughters.
The defence has suggested the glass fragments could have been planted.
AAP sew/jlw/wjf/de
KEYWORD: DEBS NIGHTLEAD
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