NSW: Jury in Liati trial told to ignore Einfeld guilty plea

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2009
NSW: Jury in Liati trial told to ignore Einfeld guilty plea

SYDNEY, Feb 2 AAP - A jury has been warned to ignore the guilty plea of former Federal
Court judge Marcus Einfeld, in the trial of a woman charged with related offences.

Angela Liati, 55, has pleaded not guilty in the NSW District Court to making a false
statement on August 23, 2006 with intent to pervert the course of justice.

The jury has been told Liati said she was with her friend Theahresa (Theahresa) Brennan
in Mr Einfeld's car on January 8, 2006.

Crown Prosecutor Lou Lungo said this was a false statement.

As the jury was empanelled on Monday, Judge Michael Finnane told jurors to ignore anything
they might have heard about Mr Einfeld's case when considering Liati's.

"Mr Einfeld is a very well known person in Australia," Judge Finnane said.

"His name is extremely well known, not just in legal circles. Consequently a lot of
interest was generated in the press.

"Some of you may have seen those opinions, some of those commentaries, and some of
those news articles.

"If you had, you must put them out of your mind ... this trial has nothing to do with him."

Judge Finnane warned the jurors they must not look up any information on Mr Einfeld
or Liati on the internet.

"I'm not giving you informal advice, I'm giving the direction of the law," he said.

The jury was told Mr Einfeld claimed before a magistrate that he had not driven the
vehicle on January 8, 2006, and that his American friend Professor Theresa Brennan was
behind the wheel.

Liati, who is defending herself, is expected to give her opening address to the jury
later on Monday.

AAP kaj/dl/wjf/apm

KEYWORD: LIATI

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