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AAP
AAP
National
Melissa Meehan

Investigation into Supreme Court judge dropped

Lex Lasry has retired as a judge, ending an inquiry into a complaint by Victoria's top prosecutor. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)

Victoria's judicial commission has dropped an investigation into former Supreme Court justice Lex Lasry. 

The judge announced his resignation on social media following 17 years on the bench, after a complaint was made against him by Victoria's top prosecutor. 

Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd complained to the Judicial Commission of Victoria over a ruling connected to the Eastern Freeway crash that killed four police officers.

Ms Judd's complaint was over the judge's ruling on the case against trucking boss Simiona Tuteru.

Tuteru had been charged with manslaughter after he allowed a truck driver to get behind the wheel while high on drugs and tired before he crashed into the officers in 2020.

But prosecutors withdrew those charges six days before Tuteru's trial, in favour of heavy vehicle offences.

Justice Lasry claimed the court processes had been used oppressively and unfairly by Ms Judd and decided to permanently stay the case.

Ms Judd successfully challenged his position in the Court of Appeal, with three judges overturning his ruling in August 2023.

The 75-year-old took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the news of his resignation on February 14.

"And so it ends after 51 years," Justice Lasry wrote, alongside a link to the song On A Wing And Prayer by Mike Stern.

On Monday, the judicial commission said it had dismissed the complaint because Mr Lasry had retired, effective from midnight on Friday and was no longer a judicial officer. 

"As a consequence, the investigation of the complaint was not concluded and no findings were made in relation to any of the allegations contained in the complaint," the commission said.

Mr Lasry was appointed to the court in 2007 and officially retired in 2018, but continued to serve on the bench as a reserve judge.

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