Murder case could go to jury Thursday

A Regina Court of Queen’s Bench jury is expected to begin deliberating as early as Thursday in the case of three men accused in the 2015 killing of 34-year-old Reno Lee.

Justice Catherine Dawson began delivering her charge to the 11-person jury Wednesday afternoon, her instructions so far speaking to the jury’s tasks during deliberations, pertinent rules of law, and how to weigh evidence and testimony, among other areas.

The judge told jurors she expects to wrap up the remainder of her instructions on Thursday, following which jurors will begin deciding the case against Andrew Bellegarde, 24, Bronson Gordon, 33, and Daniel Theodore, 34. The three are accused of first-degree murder in Lee’s death and offering an indignity to human remains by dismembering the man’s body.

The trial heard from approximately 20 Crown witnesses as well as Gordon, who took the stand in his own defence. Dawson reminded jurors they cannot use Bellegarde and Theodore’s decisions to not testify as a sign of guilt.

She added the jury can use Gordon’s testimony to help decide the cases of all three men. But, as Gordon’s evidence tended to place blame on the other two, the judge warned the jury should remain alive to the possibility that “Bronson Gordon may have been more concerned with protecting himself than telling the truth.”

Likewise, Dawson provided similar warnings about several key Crown witnesses, noting those individuals have an interest in the outcome of the case that could affect their testimony.