Our day at the courthouse!

Good Day Readers:

Spent Monday at The Law Courts - the morning covering the Labossiere trial the afternoon following the Mark Stobbe case. The former was devoted to the Crown and Defence attorneys making their final arguments. Wednesday Justice Brenda Keyser is expected to charge the jury after which deliberations will begin.

Evan Roitenberg (representing Michel Hince) as he had done earlier during Crown star witness Jeremie Toupin's testimony continued to pound away at Mr. Toupin's credibility. Jeremie Toupin signed a plea deal agreeing to 3-counts of second degree murder rather than murder one in exchange for his testimony.

It was alleged after the killings of parents Rita, Fernand and their son Remi Labossiere Messrs Hince and Jeremie Toupin stopped at a bridge off Highway 75 to dispose of two guns plus ammunition and spent shell casings. If you can believe this apparently somewhere in all this they lost the keys to the car they were driving so had to flag down a passing motorist to use their cellular phone to call brother Andre Toupin who, according to testimony by Jeremie Toupin, arrived sometime latter in a black truck to drive them back to Winnkipeg.

However, Mr. Roitenberg suggested this was impossible because said truck was at an auto body shop for repair at the time. Here's were it gets interesting. Had Evan Roitenberg called someone from the business to provide detailed evidence regarding who had brought in the vehicle for servicing, when, what was the nature of the repairs, the cost and when and who picked up the vehicle he would have been required to expose said witness to cross-examination. Further, if the Defence introduces any witnesses (which it did not) it is required to present final arguments to the jury before the Crown which some attorneys consider a disadvantage.

Was Mr. Roitenberg's presentation on behalf of his client be enough to sway the jury? You be the judge and jury.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk