The jury in Richard Henry Bain‘s murder trial has found him guilty of second-degree murder, as well as three counts of attempted murder, in the 2012 Quebec election-night shooting.
READ MORE: Richard Henry Bain found guilty of second-degree murder in Quebec election-night shooting
Here is a timeline of events leading up to the verdict:
Sept. 4, 2012:
Near midnight, Richard Henry Bain launches an assault on a Montreal nightclub hosting the Parti Quebecois (PQ) election-night rally.
Lighting technician Denis Blanchette is killed and colleague David Courage is seriously injured by a single bullet before the rifle jams.
READ MORE: Crown prosecutor suggests accused election night shooter faking mental illness.
Bain scrambles and pulls a handgun on a provincial police officer before being tackled and arrested.
Dressed in a balaclava and a blue bathrobe, he yells in French, “The English are waking up” as police lead him away.
The attack creates chaos inside as then-premier-designate Pauline Marois is whisked away while on live TV.
Sept. 5, 2012:
Hours after the shooting, Bain finds himself unable to answer police officer’s questions.
He claims he is ill and is sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment.
Sept. 6, 2012:
More defiant, Bain refuses to answer investigator’s questions during a second interrogation.
READ MORE: Crown psychiatrist takes the stand in Richard Henry Bain trial
Sept. 10, 2012:
A funeral is held for Blanchette.
Sept. 18, 2012:
Bain has his first meeting with psychiatrist Dr. Marie-Frederique Allard.
Sept. 19, 2012:
Bain calls radio station CJAD and talks for 37 minutes about his vision to separate Montreal from Quebec.
Nov. 9, 2012:
Bain has his second meeting with Allard, where he writes out responses to questions about the night of the shooting.
READ MORE: Richard Henry Bain claims anti-depressants fuelled actions during election-night shooting
He says he is scared the room is bugged.
Dec. 7, 2012:
Bain is sent for a psychiatric evaluation after ranting in court about how he was sent on mission by Jesus Christ to rid Quebec of its’ “separatist problem.”
Jan. 28, 2013:
He is deemed fit to stand trial.
Nov. 28, 2014:
There are numerous lawyers, false starts and attempts to secure bail with Bain claiming he can’t properly build a defence behind bars.
He mentions an alleged drug overdose and says he doesn’t remember the events from 2012.
Dec. 19, 2015:
Bain is denied bail.
Feb. 20, 2015:
Bain hires veteran Montreal attorney Alan Guttman to defend him at his murder trial, which is delayed to 2016.
June 9, 2016:
Bain’s first-degree murder trial begins before 14 jurors — eight women and six men — at the Montreal courthouse.
June 30, 2016:
The Crown completes its case and the jury is given a two-week break.
July 18, 2016:
The case resumes with Guttman laying out his not criminally responsible defence with Bain taking the stand.
Aug. 9, 2016:
The evidence is complete.
In total, jurors heard from 48 Crown and eight defence witnesses over 34 days of testimony.
Aug. 11-12, 2016:
Final arguments are held over two days as the defence and Crown make final pitches to the jury.
READ MORE: Doctor says Richard Henry Bain didn’t hold bizarre, psychotic religious or political ideas
Quebec Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer delivers his final instructions to the jurors and tells them they won’t have to rule on two arson-related charges that Bain is facing.
Aug. 13, 2016:
Jurors begin deliberating, tasked with determining whether Bain was not criminally responsible.
READ MORE: Mixing meds made alleged Quebec election shooter a ticking time bomb, says expert
Aug. 23, 2016:
After 11 days of deliberation, the jury finds Bain guilty of second-degree murder in the election-night slaying of Blanchette, as well as three charges of attempted murder.
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
Follow @rachel_lau
— with files from The Canadian Press.
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