Closing arguments began Friday in the second-degree murder trial of Andrew Rosenfeldt, the Saskatoon man accused of killing his partner in 2022.
The victim, 20-year-old Nykera Brown, was shot in her home at 124 Avenue P South on Nov. 15, 2022.
Without proof of who pulled the trigger, arguments have turned to debating whether it was a case of suicide or homicide.
Throughout the trial, Rosenfeldt has told multiple different versions of what happened that night. Defence lawyer Chris Murphy admits Rosenfeldt lied to police multiple times while in custody and hid the would-be murder weapon but that isn’t proof enough that he killed Brown.
Murphy argues that Rosenfeldt is guilty of being stupid, but not of murder.
Get daily National news
In closing arguments, he said all the evidence proves Brown was unhappy with her life and died following ongoing struggles with mental health.
The Crown argues that there is enough proof of abuse in the relationship and evidence of Brown fighting for a better life to believe Rosenfeldt is guilty.
Murphy points to the Crown’s evidence of abuse as a cause for Brown’s mental health issues, referring to several of Brown’s journal entries.
He outlined her writing on Rosenfeldt’s aggressions while struggling with impotence, as evidence of an unsatisfactory relationship.
Murphy also referenced the couple fighting over Rosenfeldt’s infidelity on social media.
The Crown argued the two things Brown would die for were her gang affiliations and her baby, not Rosenfeldt, quoting another entry that reads, “I always pull myself out of these emotions before I drown.”
The Crown pointed to multiple occasions where Brown reached out to family and friends during mental health crises, and said she was fighting for a better life for herself by deciding to leave Rosenfeldt.
The Crown also argued that Brown telling Rosenfeldt she was leaving for good during her final phone call from 8:11 to 8:14 p.m. the night of her death incited a desperate act of violence from Rosenfeldt.
Murphy confirmed that Rosenfeld called police at 8:13 and 55 seconds that night, leaving just seconds of that night still unknown.
The Crown’s closing argument will continue on Monday.
Comments