Alleging bias, lawyer asked Gill judge to step aside
Months before Gurpreet Ronald went on trial for the 2014 killing of her secret lover’s wife, her defence lawyer filed a motion asking the judge to recuse herself on grounds of alleged bias after she told court that the accused was “capable of a great deal of deceit and deviousness.”
Ontario Superior Court Justice Julianne Parfett made the comments in bail court, and before hearing any testimony from Ronald.
Ronald and her secret lover, Bhupinderpal Gill, were found guilty by a jury on Wednesday in the Jan. 29, 2014 killing of Jagtar Gill.
Evidence at bail hearings is covered by a standard publication ban until the end of trial.
Now that the trial is over, the motion for the judge to recuse herself can be reported.
Parfett was asked to step down as trial judge in February in an unsuccessful motion filed by defence lawyer Michael Smith.
The defence lawyer focused on comments the judge made during his client’s bail hearing. Ronald’s sister had just testified as a potential surety, and Parfett, in denying bail, said it was unlikely that she could control her sister if she were granted bail.
The judge said the witness’s knowledge of her sister was astonishingly limited given that her evidence was that they spoke on the phone daily and saw one another two to three times a week.
Despite their level of contact, Parfett said, the proposed surety knew next to nothing about her sister. “She was unaware that (Ronald’s) marriage was in difficulties or that (she) was having an affair.”
Parfett then noted that while the sister knew that Bhupinderpal Gill was a constant presence in Ronald’s life, “it never once occurred to (her) that she ought to question this relationship.”
Then the judge said this about Ronald:
“(She) lied with impunity to her sister about very significant aspects of her life and her sister was oblivious. I can only conclude that (Ronald) is someone who is capable of a great deal of deceit and deviousness.”
In a March 9 decision, the judge ruled on the motion about herself, and concluded that she was not biased and could continue on as the trial judge, which she did.
During the trial on July 5, the same defence lawyer also complained about the judge’s behaviour during Ronald’s testimony.
In the absence of the jury, Michael Smith complained that the judge had rolled her eyes, tilted her head back, folded her arms and at one point, stopped taking notes while Ronald testified in her own defence.
The lawyer noted that the judge’s reaction to his client’s version of events may have had a “negative impact” on Ronald’s trial in the eyes of jurors who follow instruction and guidance from the presiding judge.
Parfett replied that she was not aware of the behaviour and said she would try not to react to Ronald’s testimony.
Gill and Ronald, both former OC Transpo drivers, have been sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Jagtar Gill was slashed and bludgeoned to death on the living room floor of her Barrhaven home on the 17th anniversary of her arranged marriage.