A woman accused of shooting her ex-partner in the toilet of a Canberra home has lost an emotional bid to return to the United States for her child's high school graduation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Louise Bai, 56, is facing a charge of attempted murder over a shooting at her rental property in McKellar in February.
Bai is accused of taking a friend's bolt-action .22 rifle and shooting the man in the shoulder as he came out of the toilet.
Police allege she told him she was going to kill him and then herself, before a struggle ensued.
Bai is then accused of hitting him over the head with a crystal ash tray.
She was granted bail last month with a $50,000 surety, but was banned from leaving the ACT, and was required to report to local police daily.
But Bai appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court again on Wednesday, pleading with the court to let her return to her home in the United States.
She said her Green Card would be cancelled if she didn't return in under six months, although she could provide no formal proof to back up that claim.
Speaking from the witness box, Bai began to break down in tears as she spoke of wanting to go home for her son's graduation.
"I want to show them support and I want them to know I love them," she said.
Bai had come back to the ACT to sort out the estate of her parents, who died in September last year, and to look after her McKellar property, the court heard.
The prosecution strongly opposed allowing Bai to return to the United States, saying there were major concerns that she would not come back to Australia.
Bai promised the court she would come back to deal with the charges.
"I want to come back so this government can give me back my innocence," she said.
She said even if she died, her dead body would be brought back to Canberra to be buried in Gungahlin.
Bai's lawyer told the court the prosecution's case was weak, which lowered the risk of the defendant not returning to Australia.
The defence claim the alleged victim has rescinded his allegations against Bai, and has returned to China and cannot be found by the prosecution.
Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said it was "desirable" for Bai to be there for the graduation.
But Ms Walker said the charges were very serious, and said there was a "significant risk" that she may not return to the country.
She said the strength of the evidence against Bai had been reduced by the actions of the alleged victim, but said there may be physical evidence to back up his initial story.
The bail variation to allow Bai to return to the US was refused.
She will be back in court next month.
