The jury in the trial of former JetStar pilot Greg Lynn has been discharged, less than a day after being selected. The dramatic development occurred just minutes before evidence commenced in the double-murder trial in the supreme court.
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00:00 Greg Lynn entered the Supreme Court.
00:04 His wife and son were also there.
00:06 Then came lawyers for the defence and the prosecution.
00:09 All ready for the highly anticipated double murder trial to finally begin.
00:14 Mr Lynn was seated in the dock but minutes before the evidence was due to start, the
00:18 judge delivered some unwanted news to the jury.
00:21 "It's my melancholy duty to explain to you that you've now been discharged as a
00:25 jury," he said.
00:27 Justice Michael Croucher said there were technical reasons for the decision, which was supported
00:31 by both sets of lawyers.
00:33 The jury of 14 was only picked yesterday.
00:36 The discharging of the jury is a disappointing outcome for all involved in the case, but
00:41 it could have been much worse.
00:43 Trials are often thrown into disarray if a jury is discharged midway through the case
00:48 or at the very end, after hearing all of the evidence.
00:51 Mr Lynn, a former Jetstar pilot, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder.
00:57 Police allege he shot Carol Clay in the head and murdered Russell Hill during a camping
01:02 trip in the Wannangatta Valley in Victoria's east four years ago.
01:06 The trial could run for up to six weeks and hear from about 100 witnesses.
01:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]