Watch above: Crown paints a picture of lies during Hales cross-examination
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SASKATOON – The defence finished questioning its key witness, Douglas Hales, as he testified in his own first-degree murder trial Tuesday in Saskatoon court.
Hales testified that during the police interrogation after his arrest on Aug. 10, 2008 for the murder of Daleen Bosse, he finally decided to tell the truth.
“I’m a piece of shit for not telling the truth,” said Hales.
He testified to telling police during that interview that Bosse died accidentally of alcohol poisoning and when they didn’t believe him, he “lied his way out of the room” because he needed to process everything.
It was during this interrogation Hales would learn of the RCMP ‘Mr. Big’ sting operation as the officer played recordings of Hales confession to Bosse’s murder.
“I was dumbfounded, because I didn’t think it would be recorded,” said Hales.
“I believed it was all real.”
During cross-examination, the Crown listed a series of several lies the murder suspect told to a private investigator and police prior to his arrest and afterwards.
“I think you have a hard time remembering because you’ve told so many lies,” the Crown put to Hales, with Hales responding yes.
The lies included what the Crown called “a tall tale” to police on April 6, 2005 during a voluntary interview. Hales agreed with the Crown that he told enough of the truth to correspond with what police knew, knowing they would be able to piece together that he and Bosse would have been seen together that night.
“They know you were with her that night but not what happened to her,” said the Crown.
Even during the interrogation, when Hales claims he wanted to be honest after his arrest, the Crown pointed out inconsistencies.
The Crown then proceeded to question Hales on what was consumed the night of Bosse’s death and the commute to get to the bush party location.
“You can’t say with any degree of accuracy, how much alcohol was consumed prior to the bush party spot,” said the Crown.
Hales admitted he couldn’t since he claims Bosse was the one pouring the rye and cokes while they booze cruised.
Crown would point out that when Hales was interviewed by police after his arrest, he told them he checked for a pulse on Bosse shortly after she became unresponsive.
On Monday in court, Hales testified that he thought, at one point, she had fallen asleep while the two were talking. He got out of the car, finished the remainder of his drink, had a cigarette and panicked when he couldn’t wake her when he got back into the vehicle.
“You didn’t know she was dead or alive and you didn’t care,” said the Crown.
“According to the statement I gave Mr. Big,” Hales responded, “It was a lie.”
Hales testified that not only did he lie to police, he lied to undercover officers who were operating the sting for months prior to his arrest.
During his meeting with Mr. Big, Hales said he lied when he said he placed a fridge over Bosse’s remains after he choked her and lit her on fire.
The Crown would point out that the lie, used to enhance his reputation, turned out to be true.
Within an hour of Hales leading undercover officers out to Bosse’s remains, police and forensics went out to the scene to process it. Hales claimed the fridge must have been moved during that time, five to 10 feet from where he had last seen it.
“Coincidentally,” said the Crown.
“Right over her remains.”
During testimony, Hales said he believed audio recordings and the crime scene video were tampered with and parts of audio recordings were not completely and accurately transcribed.
Court is scheduled to resume Wednesday. Defence will not say if it will call on any other witnesses.
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