Defence questions witness testimony during cross-examination in Shawn Douglas murder trial
A witness, who cannot be identified because of a publication ban, returned to the courtroom Friday for cross-examination.
Lawyers for the three men accused of killing 54-year-old Shawn Douglas spent much of the morning questioning her about her version of events.
Dennis Thompson, Johnathon Peepeetch and Joshua Wilson are charged with first-degree murder for his death.
On Thursday, the witness told the courtroom she and a relative were with Shawn Douglas the day he died. She said they were having drinks at a Triple 8 restaurant, before leaving to find cocaine.
The group eventually arrived at a house located at 1682 Toronto St. The witness described seeing Douglas being punched and kicked by several men. She identified one of the men as Peepeetch.
She later testified she was unable to leave the house as she had “seen too much.” The witness told the court they left in a gold SUV to get rid of Douglas’ body, adding they stopped at an alley to move his body from one vehicle to another.
During cross-examination, Peepeetch’s lawyer Kevin Hill questioned her about how much alcohol she had consumed that night prior to Douglas’ death. The witness said she had about five drinks, but maintained she “never got drunk at all”.
He asked her why she told an investigator in 2014 that she didn’t remember seeing Douglas’ body being moved from one car to the next. It’s contrary to Thursday’s testimony where she testified the opposite happened.
Hill continued pressing her on her memory, asking if it was possible she was fitting her testimony to match the police’s case. The witness replied that wasn’t true. She testified she did remember it but she’s unsure of why she would say she didn’t.
She later testified the group left the city towards a rural field where several men took Douglas’ body into the bush. The witness said she, her relative and another man stayed behind in the vehicle.
On Friday, Thompson’s lawyer Kathy Hodgson-Smith questioned the witness’ recollection of events.
At issue was who actually stayed behind in the car when Douglas’ body was left in the bush. Hodgson-Smith noted the witness’ Thursday testimony contradicted what she told police three years ago.
She points to a police statement in 2014 that showed the witness originally stating an “older bald guy” stayed in the car. The older bald guy was later identified by the witness as Dennis Thompson.
Thompson’s lawyer asked the witness which version of events the court should believe – whether she was truthful then or now.
The witness admitted her memory may have been foggy, as it had been three years.
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