The man accused of murdering Sydney hip-hop artist Scepaz (real name Jett McKee) with a samurai sword has been freed on bail in an unexpected plot twist as this increasingly bizarre and tragic story continues to unfold.
As the ABC reports, a NSW Supreme Court judge today set 28-year-old Blake Davis’s bail at $493,000, describing the prosecution’s argument to keep him behind bars as “pathetic”.
When quizzed by the judge about what evidence there was to suggest Davis would commit another murder if released, prosecutor James Ly reportedly responded: “Just he’s been charged”.
“Frankly I find that pathetic,” Justice Rothman replied, adding: “I do not accept there is risk of a failure to appear in court, or to commit a serious offence”.
Davis and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Hannah Quinn, have both been charged in relation to McKee’s death, after the 30-year-old MC’s body was discovered on an inner-west street back in August.
Quinn — also out on bail — is accused of crash-tackling the rapper after he allegedly broke into her Forest Lodge home and demanded money, while wearing a balaclava and arming himself with pepper spray, a fake gun, and knuckledusters.
According to the ABC, he allegedly told her: “I will shoot you. There’s lots more people like me who will shoot you”.
Police say Scepaz then punched Davis in the face before stealing Quinn’s bag and running off down Hereford Street.
It’s alleged Davis then stabbed him in the head with a Samurai sword before the couple fled the scene, leaving McKee to die in the middle of the road.
Police also discovered $21,000 in cash in the laneway near the Forest Lodge home where the crime allegedly took place, but it’s not yet known if or how that relates to the whole situation.
In court today, Davis’ lawyer, Philip Strickland, reportedly argued that his client acted in self defence, and “perceived a very live threat to his girlfriend” during the street scuffle.
He also added that his client suffered from “serious mental health issues… that could jeopardise his ability to present himself at trial”.
“This is a man who has never been to jail and for the very first time is facing a murder charge, so [the] ability to present himself properly is critical,” he argued.
As part of Davis’s bail conditions, he will live with his mother in the Blue Mountains, wear an electronic monitoring device at all times and report daily to police.
He’s also not allowed to go within 100 meters of an airport, or anywhere near the suburbs of Redfern, Forest Lodge or St Peter’s.
Davis is due back in Central Local Court in January.
