Lamarre-Condon tells murder trial Baird shooting was unintentional

Beau Lamarre-Condon has told his double-murder trial that the shooting of Jesse Baird was unintentional, describing himself as guilty of manslaughter while giving evidence on Friday, 6 November. The former police officer is accused of killing Baird and his partner, Luke Davies, with his police service weapon at Baird’s home in Paddington, Sydney, on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to two murder charges and aggravated break and enter.

Continuing his testimony in the New South Wales supreme court, Lamarre-Condon claimed he feared Baird would drive a knife into his throat and that his police training took over. He said he had told Baird to drop the knife. Baird’s mother, Helen, left the courtroom as he described shooting her son.

Lamarre-Condon told jurors he had gone to the house to collect a surfboard, clothing and a Cartier ring. He said he used his mother’s car to avoid being recognised, drove along the street looking for Baird’s ute and parked in a space vacated by Baird’s housemate. He claimed he wanted to avoid contact because Baird had previously asked him to stop contacting him, and he feared Baird could seek an apprehended violence order.

After spotting what he believed was a delivery motorcycle, Lamarre-Condon said he decided to wear a helmet and riding clothing so he could appear to be an UberEats driver and knock without speaking to Baird. He told the court that Baird’s bedroom was empty when he entered the home, and that he searched storage boxes there for his clothes without finding them.

According to his evidence, he still had the helmet on, with its visor lowered, and was carrying his firearm in a holster beneath his shirt when Baird saw him. He claimed Baird shouted that they were being robbed and lunged at him. Lamarre-Condon said he aimed at Baird’s right shoulder and fired. He told jurors his finger stayed on the trigger during the ensuing struggle, and the gun discharged accidentally when they tripped over a storage box. He accepted responsibility but denied intending that discharge.

Lamarre-Condon said he dialled the emergency hotline to seek help for Baird, then saw Davies, whom he did not recognise at the time. He alleged Davies had picked up the gun, pointed it at his chest and threatened to shoot him before raising it towards his head. Lamarre-Condon said he tried to redirect the weapon using his police training, grabbing Davies’s wrist and pushing against his forearm. Asked by his defence lawyer whether it fired, he said it discharged during that movement and struck Davies.

The court also heard that Lamarre-Condon had signed out his firearm for a shift three days before the alleged killings, which he said he had permission to do. In separate testimony, he described firing at a tree during a visit to Royal national park with a friend. He said he had been considering taking his own life and wanted to hear how loud the weapon was.

The trial is continuing before Justice Natalie Adams.