How an eggplant is playing a vital part in man's murder trial
A court has heard an unusual defence from a Victorian man on trial for shooting his friend dead, with the accused claiming his gun went off accidentally after he slipped on an eggplant.
Angelo Russo, who has been charged with murder, claims an ill-placed eggplant and a loaded shotgun led to him shooting David Calandro at his Tatura farm in the Goulburn Valley.
The court heard Russo came home in February 2017 to find his dog Harry had been run over.
He knew Mr Calandro was the one who accidentally hit the dog.
When Mr Calandro showed up Russo approached his car but claims he tripped on an eggplant and accidentally smashed the barrel into the window.
“I went to the car and it went bang,” he told the court.
“The gun went off and then I heard some screaming.”
Mr Calandro’s two young children were in the car and watched their dad die.
Russo’s lawyer Patrick Tehan told the jury it was a tragic event.
“The shooting was an accident,” Mr Tehan said.
“The gun went off without the trigger having been pressed.”
But crown prosecutors claimed Russo was infuriated by the death of his dog and rage took over.
Crown Prosecutor Nick Papas said Russo was “angry” and “lost self-control”.
“He’s gone up to that car with a loaded gun and shot him,” Mr Papas said.
Mr Calandro’s two sons will tell the trial what they saw but because they’re children their evidence will be videotaped and played to the jury.
