Murder suspect rambles in trial’s day 3
Kahsai urges jury to contact U.S. army
An often rambling double-murder suspect Emanuel Kahsai had an ominous message for jurors Wednesday — their safety isn’t guaranteed.
On Day 3 of the Calgary man’s trial in the killings of his mother and a disabled woman, Justice Glen Poelman gave Kahsai a little more leeway in participating in proceedings. But Poelman, who has banished Kahsai to a remote courtroom because of his disruptive behaviour, repeatedly had to cut off the city man’s feed because of his commentary.
Sometimes gesticulating wildly or making unintelligible sounds, Kahsai was initially allowed to have his video and audio feed seen and heard by jurors.
But 10 minutes into witness testimony from an Edmonton man who found his parking stall occupied by Kahsai’s mother’s vehicle on Oct. 17, 2015, the accused interrupted the proceedings.
“Jury, I’m not 100 per cent sure that you’re safe, or you can hear me,” he said.
“If you can contact the FBI or the United States army, this is very serious,” he continued, before Poelman told the court clerk to cut the feed.
“I’ve had to mute you, Mr. Kahsai,” the Court of Queen’s Bench judge said.
The exchange came during the testimony of Edmontonian Daren Stratichuk, who arrived home the evening of Oct. 17, 2015, to find an SUV parked in his reserved spot.
Before Crown prosecutor Matt Dalidowicz was able to begin questioning Stratichuk, the accused began making noises while appearing in court via closed-circuit TV.
Stratichuk said the offending vehicle remained in his stall for days before it was eventually towed.
Kahsai is charged with firstdegree murder in the death of his mother, Selamawit (Selma) Alem, 54, and second-degree murder in the killing of her developmentally disabled client, Julie Tran, 25.
Both women’s bodies were found Oct. 19, 2015, two days after Stratichuk found his stall occupied, in a home in the 200 block of Coventry Close N.E.
While no evidence was given that the vehicle was Alem’s, Kahsai said as much when Poelman unmuted him and allowed him to cross-examine the Edmonton man. “What day and what time, if you don’t remember, don’t guess,” he said.
“It was a Saturday evening approximately eight o’clock,” Stratichuk said.
But Kahsai’s questioning quickly went off the rails. “Please disregard any form of telepathy in the background,” he said, before asking the witness what the weather was like and whether he got a look at the person who parked the vehicle.
“I was not home when the vehicle was parked,” Stratichuk explained.
Later, while questioning video expert Dwayne Pilling, Kahsai asked about the deaths of his mother and brother. “My mother was murdered . . . is that accurate?” he asked Pilling.
“I don’t know,” Pilling replied. “It’s not relevant,” the judge said. “It’s very relevant, there were two murders of family members,” Kahsai said.
His trial continues Thursday.