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False start in campers murder trial as jury discharged

By Emily Woods
Updated May 10 2024 - 11:40am, first published 11:37am
A new jury in Greg Lynn's murder trial will be selected next week. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS)
A new jury in Greg Lynn's murder trial will be selected next week. (Diego Fedele/AAP PHOTOS)

The jury has been discharged in the murder trial of an airline captain accused of killing campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay at a campsite in Victoria's alpine region.

Greg Lynn, 57, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and a jury was empanelled in Melbourne's Supreme Court on Thursday.

He is accused of killing Mr Hill and Ms Clay at a campsite in the Wonnangatta Valley in March 2020.

Lawyers from both sides were due to open their cases on Friday morning.

However, Justice Michael Croucher informed the 14 jurors that "technical reasons" meant they would have to be discharged.

"It's unfortunate you're only going to be here for a short time," Justice Croucher told the jurors on Friday.

"It's my melancholy duty to explain to you that you have now been discharged as a jury.

"I'm not going on to go into the details now, I don't want to embarrass anyone ... it's just technical reasons."

A new panel of jurors will be chosen next week.

He thanked them for putting their hands up for jury services and "being prepared to undertake this vital role in the criminal justice system", as he excused the jurors.

The trial is set to last for between four and six weeks.

Jurors will be tasked with coming to a unanimous verdict about whether Lynn is guilty of two counts of murder.

Australian Associated Press