When jurors in the Beau Lamarre-Condon case returned from a short break on Thursday afternoon, a small change signalled a major new phase in the double murder trial.
asserted
change → return → trial
As they took their seats, the former police officer stood metres away — in the witness box rather than the dock where he has so far spent nearly seven weeks quietly listening to the crown's case.
asserted
he → take → case
Shortly after being called as the first witness in the defence case, Mr Lamarre-Condon detailed the beginning of his policing career from 2017, and the bullying and torment he says he endured, including homophobic slurs and comments by a superior.
asserted
he → call → superior
He recalled confronting work situations which involved dead bodies, saying he could "graphically remember" between 12 and 15 jobs including suicides, and his voice wavered as he spoke of colleagues who died by suicide.
uncertain
who → recall → suicide
The now 31-year-old said he became "passionate" about deterring youth crime in Youth Command, where he said he contended with "constant pushback", and did not feel supported.
asserted
he → say → pushback
The court heard that outside of work, throughout parts of 2023, the accused was seeing Jesse Baird, who he had met towards the end of 2022.
asserted
he → hear → 2022
He described their initial connection as friends with a sexual relationship, before it evolved to more romantic dates.
asserted
it → describe → dates
The jury has already heard from around 90 witnesses through oral testimony or written statements in the crown's case, which involves allegations Mr Lamarre-Condon developed an obsessive and jealous infatuation with Mr Baird.
asserted
Condon → hear → Baird
They have heard the pair twice parted ways, including in April 2023 because Mr Baird was not ready for a relationship, and in November the same year when Mr Baird discovered Mr Lamarre-Condon had interfered with his phone and posted an Instagram story which falsely gave the impression he had received flowers from Mr Baird.
asserted
he → hear → Baird
The prosecution has accused Mr Lamarre-Condon of stalking the television presenter, including by breaking into his home at least twice, before allegedly using his police pistol to murder Mr Baird and his new boyfriend, Luke Davies, in Mr Baird's Paddington share house in February 2024.
uncertain
prosecution → accuse → February
Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty and is claiming self-defence.
'I admit that it was stupid'
He also denies a charge of aggravated break and enter related to an alleged break in at Mr Baird's Brown Street terrace one night in August 2023, during which his mobile phone and wallet was stolen.
asserted
phone → plead → which
Mr Lamarre-Condon's evidence on that topic was that he went there upon Mr Baird's invitation so they could go for a morning run the next day, and that Mr Baird left a key in the letter box, but he then decided he would go through his phone to check he was not in another relationship.
uncertain
he → go → relationship
He admitted to putting a bobby pin in the door lock, and said he picked up Mr Baird's phone to activate flight mode, before Mr Baird was woken when the charging cable dropped on the floor.
asserted
cable → admit → floor
On his evidence, he "panicked and ran", not realising he still had Mr Baird's wallet and phone in his hand, before Mr Baird chased him outside without realising who it was.
asserted
it → panic → him
Mr Lamarre-Condon has testified that he threw the belongings back and the phone went down a drain.
asserted
phone → testify → drain
He said they later went to dinner and he knew then that Mr Baird had not realised who it was that night.
asserted
it → say → dinner
"I didn't want to have that awkward conversation with him because it was stupid, and I admit that it was stupid," he told the jury.
asserted
he → want → jury
He has given evidence of a deterioration in his mental health, and said that he was actively taking steps to plan to die by suicide by February 2024.
asserted
he → give → February
He cited "constant harassment" from various police officers as part of the reason, but said he was fearful of losing his job if he was prescribed medication.
asserted
he → cite → medication
'It's Beau, it's me, calm the f*** down'
asserted
it → calm → f
On Friday, Mr Lamarre-Condon gave his account of the February 2024 events at Brown Street, Paddington.
asserted
Condon → give → Street
He testified that he wanted to retrieve a surfboard, an expensive ring, and clothing from Mr Baird's share house.
asserted
he → testify → house
He told jurors that the night before the alleged murders, he went with his mother to a hire car depot because her vehicle was in for repairs, and they had a conversation about his mental health and thoughts of suicide.
asserted
they → tell → suicide
Mr Lamarre-Condon said that his plan was to drive to Mr Baird's home, retrieve his possessions, return his police pistol to a station, and submit a leave form to take time off.
"It was just going to be a normal day," he said.
asserted
he → say → time
According to his evidence, he arrived at Brown Street in a hire car and saw Mr Baird's housemates leave for work, but wanted to ensure Mr Baird had also left to avoid accusations of harassment and a potential AVO.
uncertain
Baird → accord → harassment
He recalled walking to a cafe to get a coffee, and coming across an Uber Eats motorcycle, hi-vis jacket, pants, gloves, and delivery bags.
"
asserted
He → recall → motorcycle
I wish that I didn't do this, but I had the thought process of 'If I was to put on this helmet …
asserted
I → wish → helmet
I could knock on Jesse's door and if he answered the door, he wouldn't be able to see my face' …
uncertain
he → knock → face
I could just say 'Wrong address' in a different voice without any verbal argument.
uncertain
I → say → argument
If he wasn't home, I could enter with the spare he got cut for me, and get my belongings."
uncertain
he → enter → belongings
He told jurors that he went inside the terrace and saw cardboard storage boxes in the hallway and kitchen, and looked in Mr Baird's ground-floor bedroom before looking through boxes for his belongings.
asserted
he → tell → belongings
He said that as he moved towards the kitchen, he heard noises from a back door and ran upstairs to hide, before hearing what sounded like someone calling the police.
asserted
someone → say → police
With the helmet still on, he said he returned down the stairs when he thought the person was going to leave, but saw Mr Baird to his right, holding a knife and masking tape and sealing a brown storage box.
asserted
Baird → say → box
"He started yelling 'We're getting robbed'," Mr Lamarre-Condon told the court.
asserted
Condon → yell → court
"While he was saying that, he had the knife, he dropped the tape and he lunged at me.
asserted
he → say → me
"I said, 'Jesse it's Beau, it's Beau, it's me, calm the f*** down'."
asserted
it → say → *
Mr Lamarre-Condon gave evidence that he was "pinned" against a wall during a struggle, and recalled screaming for the knife to be dropped.
asserted
knife → give → struggle
He claimed he was fearful of being stabbed in the neck and he entered "police mode", grabbed his service firearm, aimed for Mr Baird's shoulder and fired, intending to disarm him.
asserted
he → claim → him
A second shot was accidentally fired as the two men fell to the floor, the accused said.
asserted
accused → fire → floor
'He was holding my gun'
asserted
He → hold → gun
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
