Tight security as 43 face murder charges

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 10

Tight security as 43 face murder charges

NZPA-AAP Sydney Tight security surrounded Penrith Court in Sydney yesterday when the case opened against 43 men charged with murder over the Viking Tavern massacre. The police said they were “taking no chances” of a flare-up of violence between rival motor-cycle gangs. Everyone entering the court, including the journalists, and relatives of the charged men, were searched with metal detectors. Forty-three members of the Bandidos and Comancheros motor-cycle gangs have been charged with

murder after the deaths of seven people in a shoot-out at the Viking Tavern, at Milperra, in the south-west-ern suburbs on September 2. The counsel representing the men complained about the conditions at the court. One said that there was no precedent for a case such as this in Australia or the world. It has caused serious logistical problems and yesterday laywers applied for the matter to be adjourned until next week so legal aid funding for many of the defendants could be decided. About 15 counsel were in the court yesterday. It has been estimated that be-

tween 30 and 40 laywers will be engaged in the case, as well as almost 300 witnesses. The counsel have complained about the Crown’s handling of the case, saying that they had not been consulted on the choice of venue for the hearing. In a barrage of objections to Mr Greg Glass, S.M., they said that facilities were inadequate and that the court’s location was inconvenient for everyone. The court adjourned about midday so that thedefence lawyers could confer with Mr Glass on a suitable date for the hearing to resume.