No doubt David Bain trial will go ahead - Karam

The High Court rejected an appeal by Bain for a stay of proceedings. Photo / Richard Robinson

Multiple murder accused David Bain's second trial will go ahead on Friday regardless of any decision to appeal the latest court ruling, says one of his strongest supporters, former All Black Joe Karam.

Bain's lawyers yesterday failed in a bid to the High Court at Christchurch to stop his second trial for murdering five members of his family in Dunedin in 1994.

The court rejected yesterday an application by Bain for a stay of proceedings and/or a discharge.

The court suppressed all details.

Mr Karam said today the Bain defence team had not given a lot of thought to the possibility of an appeal.

"Even if we did the appeal, it would be reserved until after the trial.

"The trial would go ahead whatever is happening.

"We have got enough to do without worrying about that. If they do appeal it is not going to affect the start of the trial," Mr Karam said today.

A stay of proceedings was ruled out in a ruling by Chief High Court Judge, Justice Tony Randerson, and the trial judge, Justice Graham Panckhurst, after almost a week of legal argument.

The pool of potential jurors was reduced to 80 yesterday and a jury of 12 would be selected on Friday.

The trial was expected to last at least three months.

Mr Karam said it would take the prosecution that long to present its case and the defence would follow.

Bain served nearly 13 years of a life sentence before his convictions were set aside by the Privy Council in London, which ordered a re-trial.

- NZPA