Thursday 10 April 2008

No verdict in family murder trial

A Supreme Court judge has discharged the jury in the trial of a Sydney man accused of murdering his parents after it was unable to reach a verdict.

Jeffrey Gilham pleaded not guilty to the stabbing murders of his parents at their Woronora home in southern Sydney 15 years ago.

The 37-year-old has previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his brother, Christopher Gilham, who he says was responsible for the killings.

He says he stabbed his brother to death after he confessed to him that he killed their parents and set the body of their mother alight.

A five-week trial was held in the Supreme Court.

On its fourth day of deliberations, the jury for the second time indicated it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

The judge gave it the option of returning a majority verdict but the the panel of eight women and four men said they could still not reach an agreement.

The case will go before the Supreme Court again next week.

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