Witness says Jesse Baird was 'petrified' of ex-cop before fatal shooting
A friend's tearful testimony about Baird's fear of Beau Lamarre-Condon's gun undercuts the ex-officer's self-defence claim at his Sydney murder trial.
What to know
- Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and aggravated break and enter over the February 2024 deaths of Jesse Baird, 26, and Luke Davies, 29.
- Prosecution case: an obsessive infatuation after Baird ended their relationship led to months of stalking and premeditated planning, including stolen bullets and a surfboard bag allegedly used to dispose of Baird's body.
- Defence case: the officer acted in self-defence, entering Baird's home disguised as an Uber Eats rider and shooting both men during separate struggles over his gun after panicking.
- New testimony from Baird's sister and a close friend describes him as fearful of Lamarre-Condon's gun and police status well before the killings, cutting against the self-defence narrative.
“I'll grab this one instead, it should be big enough.”
Beau Lamarre-Condon, Accused, alleged statement to a friend · ABC Australia ↗ · Sep 19
Beau Lamarre-Condon Accused, former NSW police officerJesse Baird Alleged victim, TV presenter and AFL umpireLuke Davies Alleged victim, Baird's new partnerJohn Stratton SC Defence barrister for Lamarre-CondonBrett Hatfield SC Crown prosecutorCorey-Dean Thorpe Close friend of Jesse Baird, prosecution witness
How it unfolded 4 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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background
Friend testifies Baird was 'petrified' and said 'he has a gun' — Corey-Dean Thorpe, sobbing in the witness box, told the trial Baird was extremely scared of Lamarre-Condon because of his gun and police status, and feared reporting him because a false allegation could end his TV and umpiring career.
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4
Baird's sister testifies he feared the armed ex-officer
Kourtnee Baird told the court her brother confided he was scared of Lamarre-Condon because he was an armed police officer who monitored his phone, followed him, and made him feel watched.
“Jesse said that he was fearful he was a NSW police officer…”
— Kourtnee Baird -
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Defence argues Lamarre-Condon acted in self-defence
Defence lawyer John Stratton SC told the jury Lamarre-Condon entered Baird's home disguised as an Uber Eats rider to retrieve belongings unrecognised, and that both men were killed during separate struggles over his police pistol, after which he panicked and cleaned the scene.
“These were the actions of a man who panicked considerably, who knew the gravity of the situation he was in, knew how it would be perceived and was overawed by it.”
— John Stratton SC -
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Crown alleges obsessive infatuation and premeditated plot
Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC told jurors Lamarre-Condon formed an obsessive infatuation with Baird after their brief relationship ended, stalked him, and prepared for the murder by stealing training bullets, testing ways to muffle gunshots, hiring a car in his mother's name and buying a surfboard bag.
“an obsessive and jealous infatuation…”
— Crown Prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC -
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Lamarre-Condon's double murder trial opens in Sydney
A jury of 15 was empanelled in the Supreme Court trial of the former NSW police officer over the killings of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.
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6 outlets first by BBC, 2d ago · also BBC Asia, Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Australia, Guardian · read ↗
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4 outlets first by bbc.com, 3d ago · also Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Australia, Sydney Morning Herald · read ↗
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Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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2 outlets Jesse Baird ‘petrified’ of Beau Lamarre-Condon and kept repeating ‘he has a gun’, court hears
first by Guardian, 1d ago · also ABC Australia
1 more headline
- Jesse Baird was concerned by Lamarre-Condon's access to gun, jury hears ABC Australia · 1d ago
and 6 smaller pieces