The judge presiding over Richard Henry Bain‘s first-degree murder trial has told the jurors they won’t need to return verdicts on two of the six charges he faces.
READ MORE: Election-night shooting closing arguments underway
Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer told them during his final instructions Friday they won’t have to rule on two arson-related counts.
That means they will deliberate on four charges.
READ MORE: Richard Henry Bain trial: Evidence complete at trial of accused election night shooter
Bain is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of stagehand Denis Blanchette and three counts of attempted murder.
The accused’s lawyers have argued he was mentally ill the night of the shooting on Sept. 4, 2012, outside the Metropolis nightclub as premier-designate Pauline Marois was delivering a speech to the Parti Québécois (PQ) election rally.
READ MORE: Crown psychiatrist takes the stand in Richard Henry Bain trial
But the Crown has argued Bain was of sound mind and that the shooting was premeditated and triggered by his anger over the PQ victory.