Crown delivers closing arguments in trial of man accused of killing baby
EDMONTON Joey Crier’s treatment of his 19-month-old son in the lead-up to and aftermath of the baby’s death leaves no doubt what occurred was murder, a Crown prosecutor said during closing arguments Friday.
“Anthony’s body tells us what happened to him,” Crown prosecutor Allison Downey-damato said, highlighting the injuries found on Raine after his body was discovered behind an Edmonton church two years ago.
“This is not a fleeting, momentary loss of control, this assault would have involved multiple brutal applications of force over time,” she said. “This is a baby that was subjected to a series of ongoing attacks.”
“The Crown submits there is ample evidence to support a conviction for second-degree murder.”
Crier, 28, was one of two people charged in Raine’s April 2017 death. Tasha-lee Mack, his girlfriend, was also charged with second-degree murder. She was convicted last week of manslaughter.
A passerby discovered Raine’s body outside Good Shepherd Anglican Church on April 21, 2017. It was propped beneath a blanket on a little-trafficked side of the church. A bloodstained blanket was found in a nearby dumpster.
Investigators determined Raine was abandoned at the church April 18. An autopsy found Raine died of a skull fracture, likely inflicted three to 18 hours before his death. His body was covered in 30 bruises, and one of his ribs was broken. Medical examiners also found lacerations in the baby’s mouth.
Crier and Mack were his primary caregivers. The three moved in with Alexa Noseworthy, where they lived for a few weeks before moving to Mack’s mother’s house. The Crown alleges the two took pains to isolate Anthony from others, and that the abuse mostly occurred behind closed doors.
The Crown maintains Crier can be found guilty of second-degree murder, as he and Mack were the only ones with the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow. Downey-damato said they also failed in their duty to seek medical care for Raine, even if it’s unclear whether doctors could have saved the baby’s life.
Crier’s after-the-fact behaviour also points to murder, Downey-damato said. She argued Crier lied to Mack’s mother about where Anthony was, saying he was with his aunties. He also made plans to