Prosecutors want Jason De Ieso bikie ambush murder trial to start in August, even if jurors must sit through Christmas to pass verdict
Nine alleged bikies must stand trial this year for the ambush murder of innocent man Jason De Ieso, prosecutors say – even if that cancels a jury’s Christmas.
Police & Courts
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Prosecutors want nine alleged bikies and outlaw associates to stand trial for the murder of innocent man Jason De Ieso in August – even if that means a jury has to work through Christmas.
Defence counsel, however, say that timetable is unrealistic because an “endless river” of statements and forensic evidence is still being filed against their clients.
They say documentation supporting just one aspect of the complex case would completely fill a cell in Yatala Labour Prison, leaving their clients with “nowhere to sleep”.
The potential for further delay – with 43 new statements having been filed on Thursday – led one senior counsel to quip he would be “retired or dead” before the trial began.
Ross William Montgomery, 35, Daniel Mark Jalleh, 31, Musa Ali Alzuain, 27, Mohamed Alzuain, 28, Husain Ali Alzuain, 32, Kyle Lloyd Pryde, 32, Nicholas Sianis, 33, and Seywan Moradi, 33, are each charged with murder.
Jake Byron Martin-Herde, 31, is charged with assisting an offender.
The charges relate to the 2012 shotgun ambush murder of Jason De Ieso who, prosecutors allege, was an innocent victim of a feud between the Finks and Hells Angels.
On Friday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Chris Kourakis presided over a conference, in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, hoping to set a date for the trial.
Jim Pearce QC, prosecuting, said the trial was likely to run for four-to-six months and that his team was ready to commence in August.
“If that means we run through into Christmas, so be it … it’s not ideal but, at the risk of being public enemy number one, it’s necessary,” he said.
Chief Justice Kourakis said Mr Pearce would not be “public enemy number one, but might be enemy number one of the jury” if that came to pass.
Counsel for the men strongly opposed the August start date, saying many essential pre-trial arguments had yet to be heard.
They ranged from the admissibility of evidence to the reliability of key witnesses, as well as more investigation materials yet to be provided to them.
Counsel said COVID-19 restrictions meant they were unable to see their clients for long periods to obtain instructions on complex matters.
One counsel estimated that the volume of evidence provided so far would take six months to go through with a client if the current level of access to prisoners continued.
They added that seven of the Supreme Court’s 14 judges would be unable to hear the case – having acted either for or against one of the nine accused in the past.
Chief Justice Kourakis said he would write to prison authorities and advocate on behalf of counsel, and urged Mr Pearce to finalise the scope of his case within three weeks.
He will hold a further planning conference next month.
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