Jury begins deliberating at second-degree murder trial

The fate of a Halifax man accused of killing Montreal-born yoga instructor Kristin Johnston is now in the hands of the jury.

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Joshua Arnold delivered his final instructions to the jury Friday at Nicholas Butcher’s second-degree murder trial.

Arnold told the jury there are three possible verdicts: Butcher could be found guilty of second- degree murder, guilty of manslaughter, or he could be found not guilty.

He asked the jury to make their decision “without sympathy, prejudice or fear.”

A jury of five men and seven women will decide Butcher’s fate.

The Crown has argued that Butcher deliberately killed Johnston, but the defence says Butcher was acting in self-defence.

In his closing arguments Thursday, defence lawyer Peter Planetta told the jury that Butcher did not intend to kill Johnston on March 26, 2016. Planetta said the 32-year-old woman had grabbed a knife as Butcher slept and stabbed him in the neck, and that Butcher was acting in selfdefence when he fought back.

The 36- year- old accused — the only witness for the defence — testified it was dark and he couldn’t see who it was, but managed to grab the knife and lash out, realizing seconds later he had killed Johnston.

Crown lawyer Carla Ball argued Butcher killed Johnston after realizing their relationship was deteriorating.

Ball suggested Butcher fatally stabbed Johnston and then tried to kill himself with the same knife before cutting off his right hand with a mitre saw.

The court heard Butcher called 911 and told the dispatcher he had killed his girlfriend and tried to kill himself. During the call, he never mentioned that he had been attacked or that he had acted in self defence.