Accused murderer either calm or detached in hospital

Tejwant Danjou was taken to hospital after being arrested

The behaviour of accused murderer Tejwant Danjou in hospital was under scrutiny Thursday at his trial for killing his wife.

Crown prosecutors are trying to show the Surrey realtor was calm, co-operative and aware of what was going on as he was examined at Kelowna General Hospital after he was arrested.

But his defence lawyer is suggesting that Danjou wouldn’t make eye contact with hospital staff, repeatedly asked people’s names, and was generally disengaged from events.

On Tuesday, hospital nurse Jennifer Yamaoka testified there was nothing in Danjou’s behaviour that struck her as particularly odd, or gave her concern he might be experiencing any kind of mental-health issue.

But she acknowledged that she wrote in her examination notes that Danjou exhibited a “flat affect,”which she described as being emotionless or expressionless.

Another nurse said Danjou was calm and co-operative and followed instructions that were given to him. But she also said Danjou spoke little and made minimal eye contact.

Danjou was taken by police to Kelowna General Hospital on July 22, 2018, the day he’s accused of killing his common-law wife, Rama Gauravarapu, in a West Kelowna hotel room. He had been found hiding in a nearby dumpster, and told police he needed to go to hospital because his heart was beating very fast.

The couple from the Lower Mainland had been visiting the Okanagan on a wine tour. The Crown says their relationship was a troubled one, characterized by Danjou’s excessive jealousy and drinking.

Defence lawyer Donna Turko told the court at the outset of Danjou’s trial that he did not intend to kill Gauravarapu, which is why he withdrew an earlier plea of guilty to the charge of second-degree murder.

Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Meghan Foster, who was with Danjou at the hospital, testified Tuesday that Danjou’s demeanour seemed to suddenly change when she informed him he was under investigation for the murder of his wife.

“He appeared to be shocked by this news,” Foster said.

Under cross-examination, Foster acknowledged she had written in her notes that Danjou had appeared to her to be “playing games” earlier.

Foster said her use of that term was “speculative”.

The trial continues.