Roger Rogerson 'will be pleading not guilty' to shooting murder

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/22/roger-rogerson-pleading-not-guilty-murder

Version 0 of 1.

Former New South Wales police detective Roger Rogerson will fight the murder charge against him, his lawyer says.

Rogerson and his co-accused, Glen McNamara, have been charged over the shooting murder of 20-year-old student Jamie Gao in a rented storage shed in Sydney's south-west in May.

The former police officers are also accused of commercial drug supply.

After a brief mention of the matter in central local court, Rogerson's lawyer Paul Kenny told reporters outside the court the 73-year-old "will be pleading not guilty".

He said Rogerson was in ill health and facing harsh conditions at Silverwater jail where he has been held in isolation.

"His health isn't very good at all," Kenny said, adding that the former detective had no watch, no calendar and no pillow.

During the brief mention of both matters, prosecutor Chris Maxwell QC told the court there were a number of reports and statements to be served to the defence, including fingerprint evidence and DNA testing from the alleged crime scene.

They were also awaiting analysis of the methylamphetamine allegedly found in McNamara's car, he said.

"The post-mortem [of Gao] has been done but there is some delay with the report," Maxwell told the court. It could take up to nine months, he said.

Rogerson, 73, did not appear in court during the mention. McNamara, 55, a former Kings Cross detective, did appear briefly via video link from Goulburn correctional centre.

It is alleged Rogerson and McNamara met Gao over a 3kg drug deal on 20 May in Padstow.

Gao's body, wrapped in a blue tarpaulin, was found in the water off Cronulla a week later.

Both matters will return to court in September.