RCMP hate caused stabbing: Crown
Hatred of the RCMP motivated Kevin Gregson to stab Ottawa Const. Eric Czapnik to death, Crown attorney Brian Holowka told the accused’s first-degree murder trial Friday.
“It was never about suicide,” he said to Gregson. “If you wanted to commit suicide, you could have done it at home.”
Gregson, who is pleading not guilty to both the murder charge and a charge of robbery related to the theft of a car, has told the court that he was suicidal the night he fatally stabbed Czapnik.
The former Mountie has said his only goal during a struggle with Czapnik on Dec. 29, 2009, was to grab the officer’s gun, take it home and shoot himself.
When Czapnik fought back and punched him, Gregson claims, his training kicked in and he stabbed Czapnik without thinking.
On Friday, in response to Holowka’s questions, he denied numerous times that his killing of Czapnik was a considered act.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of thinking going on,” he repeated numerous times.
In often testy exchanges between the two, Gregson accused Holowka of “clutching at straws” and denied the prosecutor’s allegation that he stabbed Czapnik to get back at the Mounties.
The trial continues Monday with jury deliberations beginning possibly as early as Tuesday.