A lawyer for the man accused of shooting four people dead in the inner suburbs of Darwin last year has told the NT Supreme Court her client may not stand on a planned defence of mental impairment.
Benjamin Glenn Hoffmann, 46, is listed to stand trial early next year for the alleged murder of four men — Hassan Baydoun, Michael Sisois, Nigel Hellings and Robert Courtney — on June 4 last year.
Mr Hoffmann's lawyers have previously told the court their client would plead not guilty to all charges, by reason of mental impairment.
Defence lawyer Suzan Cox QC today reaffirmed that Mr Hoffmann would be pleading not guilty to four counts of murder and other serious offences.
But she said it was uncertain if this would be via a mental impairment defence.
Ms Cox told a pre-trial hearing that while that was still an option, it was not yet substantiated.
"I can't say for certain at this stage, but at this stage I haven't got the [psych] reports to raise that [defence option]," Ms Cox told Chief Justice Michael Grant.
"It's not confirmed yet."
In clarifying with reporters following the hearing, Ms Cox said the defence's options remained "open".
"Mental impairment has not been excluded, it's open at the moment," she said.
"Everything's open."
Mr Hoffmann's pre-trial hearing was adjourned to February 5, 2021 — six weeks out from his trial in March.
He was remanded in custody.
