Jury weighs evidence in Mac’s case

A jury began deliberating the fate of a man accused in the murders of two Edmonton convenience-store clerks Thursday afternoon.

Laylin Delorme faces two counts each of first-degree murder and robbery with a prohibited weapon in a trial that began June 5.

Ricky Massain Cenabre and Karanpal Singh Bhangu were killed during armed robberies at two south Edmonton Mac’s stores where they were each working alone in the early hours of Dec. 18, 2015.

During the trial, jurors watched security footage from both stores that showed Cenabre and Bhangu being beaten, robbed and then shot as three masked attackers left the stores.

Delorme, Colten Steinhauer and a 13-year-old boy were arrested a short time after the shooting. During the trial, police seized clothing and weapons prosecutors allege were used during the robberies.

Prosecutors argued that evidence shows Delorme shot Bhangu and that Steinhauer was the gunman when Cenabre was killed.

Delorme is also charged with two counts of robbery with a restricted or prohibited weapon, which his defence lawyer Naeem Rauf argued he can be convicted on. However, he said in closing arguments, Rauf said Delorme should be found guilty of manslaughter in Bhangu’s death, and be acquitted in Cenabre’s killing.

If a verdict was not reached Thursday night, the jury was to be sequestered in a hotel and resume deliberations Friday.