Accused murderer, Beau Lamarre-Condon, smiled to himself as one of his former friends, Georgia Cook, gave evidence.
asserted
one → accuse → evidence
He shook his head slowly as she was cross-examined about her recollection of what she described as a "surreal" Thai dinner they had at a restaurant on Sydney's north shore in May 2023.
uncertain
they → shake → May
It was nine months before the former New South Wales senior constable allegedly fatally shot Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in Paddington in February 2024.
uncertain
constable → shoot → February
Mr Lamarre-Condon has pleaded not guilty in a self-defence argument.
asserted
Condon → plead → argument
The prosecution alleges he murdered the couple, driven by an obsessive and jealous infatuation with Mr Baird, after he ended their casual relationship.
asserted
he → allege → relationship
According to Ms Cook's version of the dinner, relayed in court, Mr Lamarre-Condon asked, "What would you do if I told you I killed someone, would you help me hide the body?"
uncertain
me → accord → body
Ms Cook said the accused went on: "After I kill them, I would take their stuff and I would put it in a dumpster and I would take their bodies to bushland where no one would ever find them."
asserted
one → say → them
She said the conversation left her feeling scared.
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conversation → say → her
But defence barrister, James Lang repeatedly pressed Ms Cook about why she continued to be friendly with the accused after that time.
asserted
she → press → time
He presented to her a photo of them together, in which Ms Cook was smiling, and read out numerous text messages she later sent to him, peppered with affections, such as, "xxx" and "teary-eyed emoji".
asserted
she → present → xxx
"Love our chaotic relationship," Mr Lang read from a birthday text message to Mr Lamarre-Condon.
asserted
Lang → love → Condon
"I still stand by that I was scared," she insisted.
asserted
she → stand → ?
"I could never forget these words being said to me, I could never forget."
uncertain
I → forget → me
Mr Lang then aired a previous charge of drug possession against Ms Cook.
asserted
Lang → air → Cook
He asked her if that was the reason her friendship with the former police officer became strained.
asserted
friendship → ask → officer
Ms Cook shrugged it off.
asserted
Cook → shrug → it
She told the court a dispute had arisen between them after Mr Lamarre-Condon asked her to do some unpaid bikini model work for a swimwear line he owned.
asserted
he → tell → line
For most of the trial, Mr Lamarre-Condon has remained silent and impassive, even during the most harrowing of evidence.
asserted
Condon → remain → evidence
With his high skin fade haircut and monochrome attire, he has struck a studious pose with his right arm outstretched on the bench, taking notes.
But as former friends testified against him, he seemed most animated.
asserted
he → strike → him
He blinked profusely, deep in thought, when a former childhood friend gave evidence about a video call she had with him approximately three months before the alleged murders.
asserted
she → blink → murders
She told the court he made a gun gesture with his hands and asked her, "Can [her partner] get me a gun"?
asserted
partner → tell → gun
She said the conversation left her puzzled.
asserted
conversation → say → her
Defence counsel John Stratton SC challenged the witness's recollection, arguing it was Mr Lamarre-Condon checking to see if she was safe from the violent partner.
asserted
she → challenge → partner
The witness fidgeted in the stand.
asserted
witness → fidget → stand
"That's incorrect," she said quickly.
asserted
she → say → ?
Another former friend told the court she felt pressured by Mr Lamarre-Condon into allowing him to use her account to send a lengthy Instagram message to Jesse Baird.
asserted
him → tell → Baird
"He wore me down.
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He → wear → me
It felt like guilt tripping to me, and using our friendship to get what he wanted,"she said.
asserted
he → feel → what
In the 1,600-word message, sent over multiple entries because it exceeded the Instagram word limit, Mr Lamarre-Condon said he had cancer, a lie, the prosecution previously told the court.
asserted
prosecution → send → court
The former friend said there were also "lies about me in (that message)".
asserted
friend → say → message
She said she had been friends with the accused for 17 years.
asserted
she → say → years
Promises to former colleagues
Mr Lamarre-Condon's friendships extended to within the police force, and long-time former colleagues have given evidence, sitting diagonally from him.
asserted
colleagues → extend → him
She said she had been a sympathetic ear to Mr Lamarre-Condon's descriptions of his dealings with Mr Baird.
asserted
she → say → Baird
But the court heard she had to excuse herself from the initial police investigation into the alleged murders when she realised she knew the accused.
asserted
she → hear → accused
She recalled a "weird" conversation in which she said Mr Lamarre-Condon probed her about whether hire cars could be tracked.
uncertain
cars → recall → her
It's alleged he hired a car and a van to carry out the alleged murders.
asserted
he → allege → murders
Ms Scobie said the accused told her "I promise I'm not doing anything illegal".
"
asserted
I → say → anything
I was like, 'Beau, just don't do anything stupid,'" she told the court.
asserted
she → do → court
In March 2024, he was sacked from the New South Wales Police.
asserted
he → sack → Police
Loading...A macabre interest
The defence stress test of Mr Lamarre-Condon's old friends has been the first point of tension in the 12-week trial, which has largely coasted along.
asserted
which → load → trial
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
