Murder accused ‘attacked’ by man with knife, jury told
Rex Martinich |
A man charged with murder after a fatal stabbing at his front door angrily told police they were trying to jail him for defending himself, a jury has heard.
Robert Noel Rogers, 52, is on trial in Brisbane Supreme Court for the murder of Raymond Scopelitis on August 16, 2021.
Mr Scopelitis, 32, died just before midnight from massive blood loss on the street outside Rogers’ home at Nambour, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, despite paramedics fighting to save his life.
The jury on Thursday was read a police statement from the hours after Mr Scopelitis died in which Rogers denied any knowledge of a serious assault or murder at his block of units.
A video of Rogers yelling and at times swearing at police during an interview after he was charged with murder a day later was also shown to the jury.
“It was not a murder. He came and had a go at me with a large knife and I was defending myself,” Rogers told detectives.
“That is not how this country should work. If someone attacks you with a knife you should be able to get off on self-defence.”
Rogers told police Mr Scopelitis had travelled from Noosa, nearly 50km away, to start the confrontation and had brought either a large knife or small machete and another man with him.
“I’m the innocent party. They came and tried to get into my house with a f***ing machete,” Rogers said.
“I’m getting charged with murder. It’s not right, mate. Now I’m going to jail for life.”
Rogers had woken about 11.30pm and heard Mr Scopelitis banging on the front door of his unit demanding repayment of a $500 debt.
Mr Scopelitis died from losing two litres of blood after being stabbed and slashed in the chest with his own knife that he had brandished in front of Rogers.
During the video shown to the jury, Rogers told police he knocked the knife out of Mr Scopelitis’s hand, and punched and kicked him once or twice while he was lying on the ground.
Rogers said he picked up the knife and “grazed” Mr Scopelitis on he shoulder.
“He kept coming at me. That’s when I stabbed him,” Rogers told police.
Detectives asked Rogers if he had the chance to run away or call for help before Mr Scopelitis was stabbed.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, mate. Have you ever had someone have a go at you with a machete?” Rogers said.
The jury also heard Mr Scopelitis had methamphetamine, benzodiazepine, anti-psychotic medication, cannabis and alcohol in his system, according to an autopsy.
The trial is due to resume next week and run for another three days before Justice Declan Kelly.
AAP