A JURY has retired to begin determining the fate of Belmont man Emmett Sheard, accused of murdering another inmate at Parklea Correctional Centre after a dispute over buprenorphine.
Mr Sheard has pleaded not guilty to murdering Michael Black and claims he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed the 33-year-old eight times in a packed holding cell on April 22, 2020.
The seven-week trial in Sydney Supreme Court has focused on a fist fight between Mr Black and Mr Sheard in the minutes before the stabbing and the crucial "three seconds" when Mr Sheard said Mr Black attacked him again with a shiv and he fought back.
After listening to closing addresses and Justice Natalie Adams directions and summary of the evidence, the jury began deliberating about 2.10pm on Thursday.
