NT police officer Zach Rolfe’s murder trial to be held in Darwin

The murder trial of NT Police officer Zach Rolfe will be held in Darwin after a Supreme Court judge granted an application by his lawyers on Thursday.

NT Police officer Zach Rolfe will face trial in Darwin for the alleged murder of Kumanjayi Walker.

• Murder trial venue ruling reserved after hearing details suppressed
• Zach Rolfe to face trial in Supreme Court for alleged murder of Kumanjayi Walker

THE murder trial of NT Police officer Zach Rolfe will be held in Darwin after a Supreme Court judge granted an application by his lawyers for a change of venue on Thursday.

Rolfe was charged with murder after the shooting death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu last year and was committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court in October.

His lawyer, David Edwardson QC, last week applied to have the trial moved from Alice Springs to Darwin last month due to “mischievous and inflammatory” pre-trial publicity.

In her reply, Crown prosecutor Sophie Callan SC, argued the shooting was “captured on live body-worn footage which would counter any prejudice” to Rolfe.

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In ordering proceedings be moved to Darwin on Thursday, Justice Dean Mildren said he would not publish the reasons for his decision until after Rolfe’s trial, currently set down for July.

Justice Mildren said an audiovisual link would be made available to the Alice Springs courthouse and advised prosecutors to consider arranging for witnesses from Yuendumu and Alice Springs to appear remotely.

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