A green tarp, work gloves and yellow rope were some of the items found inside a vehicle driven by accused killer Christopher Garnier on the day police arrested him, the court heard Wednesday.
Halifax Regional Police Sgt. Ken Burton told the jury he was tasked with providing surveillance on Garnier in September 2015. He testified shortly before 1 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2015, he observed Garnier come out of 18 Chadwick Place and move some items from a car into a while Ford Edge and drive away.
READ MORE: Garnier Trial: Jury shown pictures of body discovered under Macdonald Bridge
Burton said he followed Garnier from Clayton Park to Barrington Street near the Macdonald Bridge and back. When Garnier got close to his former home on Chadwick Place, Burton put on his lights, stopped the vehicle and officers arrested Garnier.
Burton testified there was a green tarp, work gloves, a backpack, yellow rope, tape and a brown blanket in the vehicle Garnier was driving when he was taken into custody.
When cross-examined by defence lawyer Joel Pink, Burton said he was unaware what Garnier’s job was and unsure if any of the items found in the vehicle at the time of his arrest were used in his employment.
Garnier accused of strangling Campbell before disposing of her body under Macdonald Bridge
Garnier, 29, is accused of killing off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell, 36. He has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and improperly interfering with Campbell’s remains.
The Crown has alleged Garnier struck Campbell on the head at a McCully Street apartment and strangled her – after the pair met at the Halifax Alehouse on Sept. 11, 2015.
It’s alleged Garnier removed Campbell’s body from the apartment, placed it in a green bin and transported it from McCully Street to a wooded area under the Macdonald Bridge, where it was discovered on Sept. 16, 2015.
WATCH: Surveillance video from inside the Halifax Alehouse on the night the Crown alleges off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell was killed
READ MORE: Garnier Trial: Jury shown pictures of body discovered under Macdonald Bridge
Witness testifies seeing man with green bin near Macdonald Bridge
David Yeo says in September 2015 he lived in a residence facing Barrington Street. Shortly after 5 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2015, Yeo says he made a coffee and stepped onto his balcony, where he testified he saw a man struggling with a green bin.
Yeo said he watched the man go towards the tree line located by the overpass to the Macdonald Bridge. He said he watched the man for several minutes until he was out of view. Yeo said he stepped back inside to get his coffee and when he came back, Yeo said the man was back on grass and approaching Barrington Street, swearing and throwing the green bin around.
Under cross-examination, The defence asked Yeo what the man he saw that day was wearing. Yeo said a light coloured t-shirt, gym pants and sneakers.
Previous witnesses have identified a man pulling a green bin on Sept. 16, 2015 as wearing a t-shirt, shorts and bare foot.
WATCH: Christopher Garnier murder trial sees video of man pushing green bin
Forensic Toxicologist takes the stand during second week of Garnier trial
The court also heard testimony from Christopher Keddy, who was certified as an expert witness. Keddy is a forensic toxicologist in Ottawa. His lab tested three samples taken from Catherine Campbell to determine if there were any drugs or alcohol in her body.
Keddy told the court there were no signs of drugs and that Campbell’s blood alcohol content was 169 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
He testified that you would expect to see signs of impairment in someone whose blood alcohol content was in the range of 120-150mg per 100 ml of blood.
Under cross-examination, Pink asked Keddy if it would be fair to say that someone with a blood alcohol content of 169mg/100ml who wasn’t showing signs of impairment would be an experienced drinker. Keddy said that would be a fair statement.
WATCH: Christopher Garnier’s defence lawyer floats idea of erotic asphyxiation in Catherine Campbell death
Testimony continues Thursday
Testimony continues Thursday morning at 10 a.m. at Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.
In total, 23 court days over five weeks have been set aside to hear the case.
The defence has previously said that they plan to call 40 witnesses. So far, 32 witnesses have testified in the case.
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