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  • Murder trial of Gordon Wood aborted
  • Judge says there had been misconduct by jury
  • Juror told of secret plan to visit death spot

A JURY has been discharged at the murder trial of Gordon Wood, who is accused of throwing his model girlfriend off a cliff.

In discharging the seven women and five men today, Justice Graham Barr said the evidence showed there had been "misconduct" from one or more of the jurors.

He concluded one juror had telephoned a journalist last Thursday to say some jury members planned to have a private night inspection of the death scene of model Caroline Byrne.

The judge added such a visit would be contrary to his specific instructions given at the start of the New South Wales Supreme Court trial last week.

Wood, 45, has pleaded not guilty to murdering 24-year-old Ms Byrne in June 1995 by throwing her over the cliff at The Gap, in Sydney`s east.

The trial began on Monday last week and the jurors were taken to The Gap on Wednesday when they inspected various sites, including the ledge from where the crown contended Wood had thrown Ms Byrne.

The trial did not sit on Friday, but Justice Barr said he was informed last Thursday afternoon that a radio journalist had received a phone call that morning from a woman who said she was a juror.

The woman said some jurors were planning to visit The Gap that night and that there was a woman on the jury who was a "bully", who had already made up her mind about Wood`s guilt.

The judge said he arranged for a court official to phone each of the jurors to tell them that no such visit should take place.

Yesterday, the judge heard evidence from 2GB broadcaster Jason Morrison who detailed the off-air conversation, which he said he had tried to stop by telling the person to contact the judge.

Each of the jurors gave evidence separately before the judge but all denied calling a journalist, knowing anyone who had called a journalist, or knowing of a plan for a private viewing at The Gap.

Despite the Crown`s submission that the call was a hoax from "a malevolent member of the public", the judge concluded the caller was a juror.

A new jury is expected to be empanelled on August 25.

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Today`s Top Picks

Google shows us Australia

AUSTRALIA is "scanned into" Google as the company unveils its most ambitious Street View to date.

Font size: +-

Send this article:PrintEmail

Search for more stories on this topic on Newstext, our news archive service. Click here

Also in News

Video

What`s all the splendour?Watch this Video NOW!
What`s all the splendour?

A PERSONAL take on Australia`s winter music festival Splendour in the Grass.

Latest videos

More Video

Advertisement

The Australian News Bites Bite sized news all in one place brought to you by the new Holden Caprice
 
Planning a Holiday? - Visit our Europe section for the latest destination offers!
 
Panadol It`s My Choice. Fights cold & flu symptoms fast
 
Meet Single WomenView photos of single women near you at match.com. Start flirting now!
 
Before you go. WegoSearch for travel deals from 100+ travel sites in just seconds on Wego
 
Planning a trip OS? - Click for fantastic fares to over 70 THAI destinations worldwide
 
Visit Business Sense For the latest business news, managerial insights & more.
 
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Model murder trial aborted   08/06/2008
12. 2008
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