Murder trial hears mum told police son was walking dog when man shot
A man charged with murder, and whose mother is accused of driving him from the scene then telling police they were walking her dog Floyd at the time of the crime, denies he shot a man dead through the door of a unit.
Jason Lee Ashman, 48, sat in the Melbourne Magistrates Court dock on Wednesday as his mother, Rosanna Ashman, 66, sat four rows away in the body of the court, as both appeared over the death of Dwayne Wright, who was shot at his home in Altona in Melbourne's west about 11.20pm on December 23 last year.
Mr Wright, 26, died at the unit.
Mr Ashman is charged with murder, and his mother is charged with assisting an offender and perjury. Police allege she drove her son and the gun from the unit and the following day lied in a statement she gave to detectives.
Defence counsel Ashlea Scroop, for Mr Ashman, told the court the issue of who shot Mr Wright through the door was in dispute and would be a key issue at the coming hearing which will determine whether her client faces trial.
"His identity as the shooter is in doubt," Ms Scroop said.
However she conceded there were witnesses who told police Mr Ashman shot Mr Wright.
A five-day committal hearing, which will determine whether the man and his mother face trial, is due to start on August 5 and feature 16 witnesses, including a 15-year-old girl and a woman with a cognitive disability.
Charge sheets for Ms Ashman allege she told police she was "not aware of anything happening between Jason and the guy", and that her son got to her Kensington home about 9.30pm on December 23.
"Jason and I left and took my dog, Floyd, for a walk. We were gone about half an hour," she allegedly told police the day after the shooting.
"Jason couldn't have done anything because he's not well ... Jason didn't go anywhere else after he got to my place last night at about 9.30pm."
Mr Ashman was remanded in custody and his mother had her bail extended.