After a 3-day break, the quadruple murder trial of Leslie Pipersburgh and Patrick Robateau resumed today in the Supreme Court. But in court, no witnesses were called and the jury was sent home for the day.
Our Keith Swift is following the trial and reports on today's developments from the Supreme Court.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Though there were no witnesses called to the stand today there was an interesting display of legal maneuvering because as expected the prosecution this morning attempted to introduce Arthur Griffith's sworn testimony.
That set in motion a "voir doire" which is a trial within a trial and we'll get to that in a bit.
But remember Arthur Griffith was the dispatch supervisor on duty at Bowen and Bowen limited at the time of the alleged murder. He is now in the United States but he was an eyewitness, a crucial one at that.
So to determine if his statement will be admitted into evidence, the jury was sent home for the day and the legal wrangling began with a voir doire. That is again a trial within a trial.
With some insight into what is a voir doire and why the jury was sent home for the day here is attorney Mike Peyrefitte.
Michael Peyrefitte,
"For lack of a better explanation, it is a trial within a trial. What that means is that the judge has to determine what information will reach the jury. See the jury is the ultimate judge of the facts but they do not control what information or how it reaches them, that is the judge's job. So a voir doire is an exercise to determine what information will reach the jury."
Also notable today was the presence of the DPP Kirk Anderson. Don't know if he will officially taking over the case from Majorie Moyston but it bears watching.
Justice Gonzalez will make his ruling on that statement tomorrow and I'll be there.
Pipersburgh and Robateau are facing four counts each of murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of use of deadly means of harm.
Stay tuned to 7NEWS for continued coverage of the trial.