Chrétien’s son, sister of Karla Holmolka testify at Magnotta trial

Warning: This story contains graphic details.

Watch above: The Luka Magnotta murder trial heard from two surprising witnesses on Friday: the son of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and the sister of notorious serial killer Karla Homolka. Mike Le Couteur has the details.

MONTREAL — On Friday, jury members at Luka Magnotta’s murder trial heard from one of the sons of former prime minister Jean Chrétien, as well as the sister of convicted killer Karla Holmolka.

The first witness, Hubert Chrétien, testified via video link from Gatineau, Quebec.

His name and return address were listed on one of the packages containing the body parts of 33-year-old victim Jun Lin that Magnotta sent to a Vancouver school in May 2012.

Chrétien confirmed that he did not know Magnotta and he did not send the package. He said he was surprised when he was contacted by Montreal police about the issue.

READ MORE: Court hears details of blood stain evidence in Magnotta apartment

Chrétien was followed by Lori Logan Valentini, sister of Homolka. Homolka, previously married to convicted killer Paul Bernardo, served 12 years after being convicted of manslaughter for her involvement in 1991 and 1992 rape and murders of two Ontario teenagers, Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, as well as the rape and drug-induced death of her 15-year-old sister Tammy Homolka.

She testified via video link from Kitchener, Ontario.

When asked, Valentini confirmed that she was born Lori Homolka and changed her name in 1996.

Her name and return address in St. Catherines, Ontario, were also listed on one of the packages sent to False Creek Elementary School in Vancouver in May 2012.

She told the jury that she did not send the packages and had never met Luka Magnotta.

She also confirmed that she had recently seen her sister, who she said is married and is currently living in Quebec.

Valentini testified that her sister had been convicted of crimes with Bernardo and there had been extensive media coverage.

READ MORE: Convicted killer Paul Bernardo set to marry: report 

During cross-examination, Magnotta’s lawyer, Luc Leclair asked if she looked like her sister. Valentini said yes.

She told him that she was contacted by police, who asked about the package but would not tell her what it was about. Valentini then said she conducted a search on the Internet and “put two and two together.”

She told the jury that she was stunned when police got in touch: “I didn’t know why I’d been dragged into something, again, that had nothing to do with me.”

The third witness on Friday was a security technician from Air Transat named Steve Fradette. He testified that Magnotta booked an economy flight to Paris at 4:37 p.m. on May 25, 2012 via Expedia, the same day that Lin is believed to have been murdered.

TIMELINE: The Luka Rocco Magnotta case

Magnotta travelled with one suitcase and used a valid passport in his own name, which corresponded with the name on the ticket. A return flight was booked for June 1, but it was logged as a no-show.

The testimony of the three witnesses came after a gruelling day on Thursday where the jury watched a gore video shot by Magnotta while killing and dismembering Lin.

On Thursday afternoon, the eight women and six men on the jury watched the 10-minute video that showed the dismemberment and desecration of Lin’s body, while the accused sat inside the prisoner’s box, a large glass enclosure in the courtroom, with his head in his hands.

READ MORE: Luka Magnotta’s gore video: Why is the court seeing it?

Some of the jury members stared at the accused as they filed out of the courtroom after watching the video.

“This indicates that they’re very upset by what they saw, their passions are inflamed and obviously the Crown is hoping that showing the video has some kind of impact on them, pro-Crown, pro-conviction,” legal analyst Philip Schneider told Global News.

As for Magnotta’s reaction, Schneider said that there were three possibilities: the accused is “just plain ashamed of everything that happened,” he is filled with remorse, or he didn’t wish to reveal his feelings.

He noted that the comportment of the accused is an important consideration for both the jury and the judge to consider during the proceedings.

Diran Lin, the father of the victim who has travelled from China for the trial, has sat through most of the evidence presented; but on Thursday he left the courthouse.

Although he has viewed horrific exhibits and listened to detailed autopsy reports, he chose not to remain for the testimony of Montreal police investigator Nadine Paoliello, who explained how police tracked who uploaded the video. The court then viewed the video.

Watch: Jury shown so-called murder video

Luka Magnotta faces five charges including first-degree murder, committing an indignity to a human body, publishing obscene material, criminally harassing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other members of Parliament and mailing obscene and indecent material.

READ MORE: Magnotta admits to killing Jun Lin, but pleads not guilty

Luc Leclair, Magnotta’s lawyer, told the jurors at the start of the trial that his client admits the “physical part” of the five charges he faces, which includes first-degree murder, committing an indignity to a human body, publishing obscene material, criminally harassing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other members of Parliament and mailing obscene and indecent material.

He has admitted to these crimes, but his lawyer is arguing his client was so psychologically sick at the time he cannot be held criminally responsible.

— With files from Domenic Fazioli and Amy Minsky