The trial of a nurse accused of murdering two patients at a northern NSW aged-care home has been delayed until today after the jury was discharged. Megan Jean Haines has pleaded not guilty to murdering Marie Terese Darragh, 82, and Isabella Spence, 77, during a night shift at the St Andrews Village nursing home in Ballina in May 2014. The two women were found unresponsive in their beds on the morning of May 10 and died hours later. The trial, expected to take several weeks, was due to start yesterday but just minutes before judge Peter Garling was due to adjourn the first day of proceedings, he received two notes from the jury raising potential conflicts of interest. One juror revealed a relative was now resident at the nursing home. Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell had finished delivering his opening argument and defence barrister Troy Edwards had started his. Both raised concerns about a potential conflict, given a juror’s relative was a resident and could recognise witnesses or be recognised by them. Justice Garling agreed and discharged the jury. A new jury will be empaneled today.
