The jury hearing allegations a house cleaner beat and murdered a 92-year-old woman in her inner west Sydney home has been discharged.
Justice Robertson Wright decided all 12 members of the panel on Tuesday morning should be let go, after the "personal circumstances" of one person was brought early to his attention.
It comes a day after the NSW Supreme Court murder trial was formally commenced by prosecutor Christopher Taylor.
"One of your number is concerned about his or her ability to properly fulfill their functions as a juror," Justice Wright said.
He commended them for bringing their situation to his attention early rather than letting it grow slowly worse.
Justice Wright said it was safer to start the trial again with 12 new jurors rather than discharging one person, due to the COVID-19 outbreak and ongoing isolation requirements.
Hanny Papanicolaou, 38, is charged with murdering her client of one year, Marjorie Welsh, in her Ashbury home on January 2, 2019.
Papanicolaou pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of substantial impairment due to an abnormality of the mind, but this was rejected by the Crown.
The trial is due back in court later in the week.
