A hitman jailed for life for executing Melbourne underworld figure Graham "The Munster" Kinniburgh has lost a bid to overturn his conviction.
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Stephen Asling was jailed last year for a minimum 27 years for gunning down Mr Kinniburgh, 62, outside his Kew home in 2003, on the orders of the late gangland kingpin Carl Williams.
On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal, which argued the trial judge had erred in admitting some evidence.
"We are unable to conclude it was not open to the jury to convict the applicant," the appeal judges said in their ruling.
Mr Kinniburgh was shot dead outside his Kew home by Asling and the now dead Terrence Blewitt in 2003 on the orders of Williams.
The execution was carried out as part of a $150,000 contract arranged by Williams, due to his "searing" hatred of the Moran family and their associates.
At sentencing, Justice Stephen Kaye branded the murder, committed amid ongoing violent conflict in Melbourne's criminal underworld, as brutal and cowardly.
Justice Kaye labelled Asling a danger to the community with a disturbing history of using loaded guns.
Australian Associated Press