Brother testifies in sister’s murder trial

Emotions ran high inside a Calgary court room Thursday with tears coming from the prisoner’s box.

The accused, Chantelle Campbell, sobbed as her brother Garnet took the witness stand in the 2012 beating death of 49-year-old John Herrera Garcia.

Campbell, along with Garrett Smith and Jarod Henry, face second-degree murder charges in the random attack.

“He’s an important witness – he’s one of a number that witnessed the actual events, that’s important stuff,” said defence lawyer Andre Ouellette.

“They’re brother and sister – it must be difficult.  He has no choice – it must be difficult for both of them.”

Garnet Campbell told the court he was with all three accused at a pub the night of the alleged beating.

He testified that later that night he and another witness stopped by at an apartment.

Campbell said he heard a commotion and then looked outside the window to find all three accused, including his own sister, standing around the victim, who was laying on the ground motionless.

He said he never saw the actual assault.

Campbell went on to say, they were “just in shock.. all of us were.”

It wasn’t until the next day they learned about the victim’s condition on the news.

Garnet Campbell told court the group was surprised Garcia’s injuries were so severe.

The jury will now be tasked with hearing testimony from more witnesses in the coming days.

“One of the things that is important is to find out what people actually saw, as opposed to what they learned later, that will be part of the issues put to these witnesses,” said Ouellette.

The trial continues on Friday.