Murder accused ‘attacked’ by man with knife, jury told

A jury has heard how a man accused of murder after a fatal stabbing at his front door angrily told police they were trying to jail him for defending himself.

Robert Noel Rogers, 52, is on trial in the Supreme Court in Brisbane for the murder of Raymond Scopelitis on August 16, 2021.

Mr Scopelitis, 32, died just before midnight from massive blood loss in the street outside Rogers’ home in Nambour, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, despite paramedics trying to save his life.

On Thursday the jury read a police statement in which Rogers denied any knowledge of a serious assault or murder in their unit in the hours after Mr Scopelitis’ death.

A video of Rogers yelling at police and swearing at times during an interview after he was charged with murder a day later was also shown to the jury.

“This wasn’t murder. He came and attacked me with a large knife and I was defending myself,” Rogers told detectives.

“This shouldn’t be the way this country works. If someone attacks you with a knife, you should be able to use self-defense.”

Rogers told police that Mr Scopelitis had traveled from Noosa, about 50km away, to start the confrontation, bringing with him a large knife or small machete and another man.

“I am the innocent party. They came and tried to enter my house with a machete,” Rogers said.

“I’m accused of murder. That’s not right, man. Now I’m going to prison for life.”

Rogers woke up around 11.30pm and heard Mr Scopelitis banging on the front door of his unit, demanding repayment of his $500 debt.

Mr Scopelitis died from losing two pints of blood after being stabbed and slashed in the chest with his own knife, which Rogers brandished in front of him.

During the video shown to the jury, Rogers told police that Mr. Scopelitis knocked the knife from his hand and punched and kicked him once or twice as he lay on the ground.

Rogers said he took the knife and “grazed” Mr Scopelitis’ shoulder.

“He kept coming at me. That’s when I stabbed him,” Rogers told police.

Detectives asked Rogers if he had any chance of escaping or calling for help before Mr. Scopelitis was stabbed.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking, man. Has anyone ever attacked you with a machete?” Rogers said.

The jury also heard that Mr Scopelitis had methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, anti-psychotic medication, cannabis and alcohol in his system, according to the autopsy.

The trial is expected to continue next week and take a further three days before Judge Declan Kelly.