Botched contract killing appeals allowed

Two Adelaide men have had their attempted murder convictions quashed but have been ordered to face a new trial over the botched contract killing.

Brett Matthew Murch, 38, and Russell James Logan, 40, were found guilty in October of the attempted murder of Leonard Gjeka, who was shot at close range at the front door of his home in the Adelaide Hills.

In jailing them for at least nine years in April, Judge Kevin Nicholson described the attempt as having a "calm brutality about it that was chilling", saying it only failed because of the gunman's poor shooting.

On Wednesday the Court of Criminal Appeal allowed their challenges, quashed their convictions and directed a new trial.

"Whether there will be another trial remains for the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine," the three judges said.

They said the trial judge wrongly restricted Murch's lawyer in his cross-examination of Logan.

They also found that the corroboration warning given by the judge in relation to the key crown witness was flawed in a number of respects.

Mr Gjeka, who was on home detention bail at the time, lived with his wife and young children, but was alone when Murch allegedly knocked on the door, disguised as a Telstra maintenance worker.

He was accused of firing at least three shots, leaving Mr Gjeka with a groin wound and the loss of the tip of a finger.

The jury rejected Logan's testimony that while he drove Murch to the premises, he had no idea what his associate was going to do.