Accused Bourke St rampage killer pleads not guilty
BOURKE St rampage accused James Gargasoulas has maintained his innocence as his Supreme Court trial kicks off.
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BOURKE St rampage accused James Gargasoulas has maintained his innocence as his Supreme Court trial kicks off.
Mr Gargasoulas, 28, today pleaded not guilty to all 33 charges, including six counts of murder and 27 of reckless conduct endangering life.
He stood in the dock and answered “not guilty” when asked how he pleaded to all charges over last year’s January 20 deadly incident.
He sat down and took a drink of water after entering his pleas, before leaning back and crossing his arms.
It will be alleged he mowed down dozens of pedestrians, driving onto footpaths in the busy retail strip during the lunchtime rush hour.
Among those killed were three-month-old Zachary Matthew-Bryant, 10-year-old schoolgirl Thalia Hakin, Bhavita Patel, 33, Jessica Mudie, 22, Yosuke Kanno, 25, and Matthew Si, 33.
Mr Gargasoulas’s arraignment marks the start of his trial.
A jury of 13 people – seven women and six men — have been empanelled.
Justice Mark Weinberg warned jurors they may view material that could be “somewhat confronting” throughout the trial.
He said the alleged incident had been the subject of “significant publicity”.
The Supreme Court judge said it would be a “relatively short trial” of only up to two weeks.
Following empanelment, Justice Weinberg told the selected jurors it was their job to decide if Mr Gargasoulas was guilty or not guilty of the alleged crimes.
He said most of the evidence about what happened leading up to the incident was not in dispute.
But he cautioned them about evidence they will hear about Mr Gargasoulas being in a state of “drug-induced psychosis” at the time.
“It is admitted by the defence that he was using a combination of drugs in the period leading up to that day,” Justice Weinberg said.
“These included methylamphetamine, which is commonly known as ice. That drug, as you will understand and will be told, can result in delusions and bizarre behaviour.”
But he told the jury that this “provide no defence to any criminal charge and do not affect criminal responsibility”.
“There is a difference between a psychosis, which is an extreme form of mental illness, and one that is drug-induced; in this case it’s acknowledged and conceded that Mr Gargasoulas was in a state of drug-induced psychosis on the day in question.”
The trial, which will hear evidence from 20 witnesses, continues.