DARWIN, Australia — The jury in the criminal trial of celebrity crocodile wrangler Matt Wright is currently at an impasse regarding one of the three charges leveled against him, which involves allegations of attempting to obstruct justice. Wright has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The charges stem from the aftermath of a helicopter crash that occurred during a crocodile egg-collecting expedition in West Arnhem Land on February 28, 2022. The tragic incident resulted in the death of Wright’s close friend and Netflix co-star, Chris “Willow” Wilson, and left pilot Sebastian Robinson with life-altering injuries, rendering him paraplegic.
During the trial, Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC clarified to the jury that the cause of the helicopter crash is not under scrutiny in this case. Instead, the prosecution alleges that Wright attempted to interfere with investigations into the tragic event.
After three weeks of testimony, jurors began their deliberations late last week. Acting Justice Alan Blow reconvened the jury Friday morning to address a question related to the count on which they remain deadlocked. However, the specifics were not disclosed as they pertained to the jury’s discussions.
One of the unresolved charges concerns an allegation that Wright directed an associate to destroy maintenance records for the helicopter involved in the crash. Two additional counts appear to have garnered agreement among the jurors, although details of those verdicts have yet to be made public.
One of the charges involves accusations that Wright provided false information during a police interview about checking the helicopter’s fuel after the accident. This claim is supported by covert recordings indicating discrepancies in his statements regarding the fuel levels.
Another charge is associated with events that allegedly transpired between March 3 and March 13, 2022. In these claims, Wright is said to have visited Robinson in the hospital, where he purportedly pressured him to alter flight log records to misrepresent the actual flight hours of the crashed helicopter.
The jury is set to continue its deliberations as they work toward reaching a consensus on the remaining allegations.
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