In this May 18, 1970, photo provided by The Minnesota Historical Society, Mike McConnell, left, and Jack Baker attempt to obtain a Hennepin County marriage license in Minneapolis. The couple, both 28 at the time, were blocked from getting a license which prompted a lawsuit that was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972. Four decades later, the couple is still together in Minneapolis as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to finally revisit the constitutionality of same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/Minnesota Historical Society, R. Bertraine Heine)
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In this May 18, 1970, photo provided by The Minnesota Historical Society, Mike McConnell, left, and Jack Baker attempt to obtain a Hennepin County marriage license in Minneapolis. The couple, both 28 at the time, were blocked from getting a license which prompted a lawsuit that was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972. Four decades later, the couple is still together in Minneapolis as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to finally revisit the constitutionality of same-sex marriages. (AP Photo/Minnesota Historical Society, R. Bertraine Heine)
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Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, right, and Diosdado Cabello, President of Venezuela's National Assembly, attend a demonstration commemorating the anniversary of a failed coup attempt led by Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in 1992, in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. The president was absent for the first time from the annual demonstrations as crowds gathered for multiple marches wearing the red T-shirts of his socialist movement. Chavez remained in Cuba, where he has been out of sight and hasn't spoken publicly since he underwent cancer surgery on Dec. 11. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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A woman holds a trio of images showing Venezuelan St. Jose Gregorio Hernandez, top, renowned as the ``Doctor of the Poor''; a laminated holy card of Jesus Christ; and an image of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, at a church service where supporters of the ailing president gathered to pray for his health, in Caracas,Venezuela, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Venezuelans were warned that Chavez may not be well enough after his fourth cancer-related surgery in Cuba to be inaugurated on Jan. 10. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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A woman leans against a wall during an outdoor church service in front of the National Assembly, where supporters of Venezuela's ailing President Hugo Chavez gathered to pray for his health in Caracas,Venezuela, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Venezuelans were warned that Chavez may not be well enough after his fourth cancer-related surgery in Cuba to be inaugurated on Jan. 10. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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A woman recites the rosary at a local Catholic church where supporters of the ailing President Hugo Chavez gathered to pray for his health, in Caracas,Venezuela, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Venezuelans were warned that Chavez may not be well enough after his fourth cancer-related surgery in Cuba to be inaugurated on Jan. 10. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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A woman donning images of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends an outdoor church service in front of the National Assembly, where supporters of gathered to pray for his health, in Caracas,Venezuela, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Venezuelans were warned that their ailing president may not be well enough after his fourth cancer-related surgery in Cuba to be inaugurated on Jan. 10. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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A woman places flowers in front of an image of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in preparation for a mass in support of him in Managua, Nicaragua, Wednesday Dec. 12, 2012. Venezuela's Information Minister Ernesto Villegas expressed hope about the Chavez's returning home for his Jan. 10 swearing-in for a new six-year term after his cancer surgery in Cuba, but said in a written message on a government website that if Chavez doesn't make it, "our people should be prepared to understand it." (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
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A man prepares a Venezuelan flag next to an image of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez before a mass in support of him in Managua, Nicaragua, Wednesday Dec. 12, 2012. Venezuela's Information Minister Ernesto Villegas expressed hope about Chavez returning home for his Jan. 10 swearing-in for a new six-year term after his cancer surgery in Cuba, but said in a written message on a government website that if Chavez doesn't make it, "our people should be prepared to understand it." (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
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Ecuador's President Rafael Correa gestures during a press conference in Quito, Ecuador, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. Correa expressed hope that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez recovers from his fourth cancer surgery as soon as possible. Correa also said: "Commander Chavez is very important for Latin America, but if he can't stay at the front of Venezuela, the process of change must continue." (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Neighbours give evidence in Cairns manslaughter trial
A Supreme Court jury in Cairns has heard evidence from neighbours of a man who was found dead in his home in the far north Queensland city's northern beaches two years ago.
Joshua William Hickson, 30, is on trial for manslaughter over the death of Gregory Elms, 44, at his home in Kewarra Beach in January 2011.
Hickson has pleaded not guilty.
Mr Elms' next-door neighbour, Andrew Cook, has told the jury he heard arguing and assumed it was Mr Elmes on the phone.
He said several days later he noticed the smell of something dead but thought it was a snake.
Michael and Deborah Richards told the court they heard shouting and swearing and a loud metallic bang.
Mr Elms' friend, Christopher McArdle, told the court he went to check on him and found a sliding door ajar and the place a mess.
He said he knew something was wrong when he saw Mr Elms' motorcycle, which he loved, tipped over and then discovered his body in a bedroom.
An acquaintance of Hickson, Michael McKay, told the jury he heard Hickson and his co-accused discussing going around to a guy's house to slap him around a bit.
A few days later, while the men were at Mr McKay's home, he said he heard a conversation about the co-accused knocking the man out with a cricket bat and the man being kicked while unconscious before his house was ransacked.
Mr McKay was unable to say who had made the statements as he was trying to ignore the conversation.
The trial will resume this morning, with the jury hearing closing arguments today.
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michael mckay, deborah richards, gregory elms, joshua william hickson, mr elmes, christopher mcardle, andrew cook, mr elms, hickson, culture_politics, australia, bit, supreme court of the united states, evidence, far north queensland, place, united kingdom, united states constitution, smell, neighbours, motorcycle, phone, trial, jury hearing, jury, body, home, court, death, bedroom, cricket bat, statements, friend, kewarra beach, supreme court jury, arguments, mess, snake, acquaintance, door ajar, conversation, mr mckay, cairns manslaughter trial, north queensland city, loud metallic bang, northern beaches, next-door neighbour
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