Beau Lamarre-Condon tells court he did not execute Jesse Baird

Former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon told a Sydney court on Monday he did not intend to execute Jesse Baird and did not realise there was a “massive” gunshot wound to the 26-year-old’s face during the murder trial.

He is accused of fatally shooting Baird and Baird’s new partner, Luke Davies, with his police service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home in Sydney on 19 February 2024.

Lamarre-Condon is facing two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. He has pleaded not guilty.

Giving evidence under cross-examination, the former officer said he told Baird to drop a knife before aiming his gun at Baird’s shoulder in an attempt to disarm him. He said his finger stayed on the trigger during the struggle. After Baird tripped and they fell, he said he pulled the trigger again.

He said the second shot was unintentional and that he thought the first bullet grazed the side of Baird’s head. He told the court he believed the first shot went through Baird’s right shoulder.

The crown prosecutor asked whether Lamarre-Condon had “executed” Baird. The accused said he never did. He said he laid Baird on his back in the recovery position and searched for signs of life in his face.

Lamarre-Condon said he then called triple zero and tried to check Baird’s pulse and get him to squeeze his hand. He said he had entered Baird’s home dressed as an UberEats driver in a motorcycle helmet and hi-vis jacket.

Later, he said he saw Davies holding the firearm and heard him say he would shoot him. He said he grabbed Davies’s left wrist while holding the phone as it dialled the emergency line.

The trial before Justice Natalie Adams continues.

Source: The Guardian