Jury hears accused murderer’s second interview with police

A man accused of first-degree murder in a drug-related death on the Nakazdli reserve just south of Fort St. James stuck to his story during a second round of questioning from police following his arrest, according to video present Monday to a jury hearing the trial.

Like he did the day before, when he was arrested in November 2013 for the January 2012 death of Fribjon Bjornson, James David Junior Charlie continued to respond largely with “yes” or “no” answers to questions from investigators.

He had been taken into custody at the conclusion of a so-called Mr. Big sting in which undercover officers pose as highlevel criminals in an effort to gain the target’s trust and elicit a confession, built on a scenario based largely on what three others involved in the killing had to say.

As officers presented their version of the events, Charlie either confirmed or denied what happened after Bjornson had shown up at a home on the reserve to buy drugs.

According to the investigators’ scenario, Charlie and three others turned on Bjornson and forced him into the home’s basement. Charlie said he was unable to say why the assault began and maintained he left the home for a couple of hours shortly after it broke out.

Charlie maintained he took Bjornson’s truck and drove it around for a couple of hours before parking it at an apartment building on the reserve because it was running out of gas. He then walked back to the home at No. 3 Lower Road, showing up couple hours after leaving, according to the story teased out of him by investigators. Asked if he had anything to support his story, such as witnesses or text messages, Charlie said he had nothing.

Charlie also continued to claim Bjornson was still able to get up and throw a couple of punches and that he replied with a few of his own followed by a couple of kicks.

Charlie has maintained it was not his idea to “finish off” Bjornson but did not know what time that decision was made.

Charlie responded with “no” when asked if he intended to kill Bjornson and then if he was the one who wrapped a cord around his neck, but with “yes” when asked if he was the one who handed the cord to Duncan and had pulled it from wiring in the basement rafters.

Charlie agreed with police he went upstairs to get a blanket. Asked why, he said it was to cover the basement entrance and agreed the intent was to hide what was going on downstairs.

Often tearful and sometimes confron- tational, Charlie twice walked out of the interview room with an investigator following in tow, bringing a recording device with him to keep their conversation documented.

They also showed him video clips investigators had collected from his mother and two aunts the night before. The contents was not aired to the jury but it was implied in conversation beforehand that they had encouraged him to be truthful with investigators.

Like they did the day before, police commended him whenever he provided details.

“If you hadn’t done this you would be carrying this around for a long time, you would never be able to move forward with your life,” Charlie was told at one point, “you would never be truly free of it.”

The trial continues today at the courthouse.