Plea bargain flagged for SA murder accused
A man charged with murder over a stabbing in Adelaide may plead guilty to manslaughter after months of negotiations, a court has been told.
Satheeswaran Suppiah, 30, appeared via video link in the Adelaide magistrates court on Wednesday.
He is alleged to have fatally stabbed another man at a home in north suburban Elizabeth South in January.
Suppiah was due to answer the murder charge on Wednesday but prosecution and defence lawyers requested more time, despite the case already having been adjourned several times.
A potential guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter was being "toyed about" but negotiations had been delayed by talks with the victim's family in Sri Lanka, the prosecutor said.
Magistrate Bob Harrap said it had been four months since Suppiah was initially due to answer the charge, and he was prepared to allow only one further adjournment.
"At some point, the court is going to insist that the matter not just wander along," Mr Harrap said.
"I'd like to see some actual progress."
The case will return to court on November 7.
