New exhibits in the murder trial of a Nova Scotia man accused of killing an off-duty police officer have been released.
Christopher Garnier, 30, is facing charges of second-degree murder and improperly interfering with a dead body.
He has pleaded not guilty to both charges.
It’s alleged Garnier killed Catherine Campbell, 36, in September 2015. Campbell was a member of the Truro Police Service and a volunteer firefighter.
New exhibits released
On Friday, exhibits that were shown to the seven-man, seven-woman jury this week were released to the media.
Among them, were photos taken by police on the day they arrested Garnier.
Photos taken by Halifax Regional Police after arresting Christopher Garnier
Photos of the vehicle Garnier was driving at the time of his arrest were also released.
Halifax Regional Police Sgt. Ken 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.
Photos show vehicle Christopher Garnier was driving at time of arrest, items inside
READ MORE: Garnier trial: Tarp, work gloves and rope found in vehicle of accused killer
On Monday, Const. Joshua McNeil and Const. Brad McLellan testified at the trial.
The two were partners in September 2015 and members of the quick response unit. Both told the court they assisted police in searching green bins in north-end Halifax looking for evidence. The pair also drove towards the Macdonald Bridge, where McNeil noticed tire marks that appeared to be from a green bin.
They later located a green bin with its lid open and a red jacket near some shrubbery in the same area.
Photos of a green bin that police found near the Macdonald Bridge.
Halifax Regional Police Det. Const. John Beer testified Monday he was tasked with going to the bridge commission and looking through survelliance video of the area.
Beer told the court he located video that showed a shadowy figure moving down the ramp and then a figure with a bin running across the screen in the footage.
Watch video from the Macdonald Bridge showing figure with large bin
David Yeo told the court on Wednesday that shortly after 5 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2015, 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 the grass and approaching Barrington Street, swearing and throwing the green bin around.
In their opening statement, the Crown alleged Garnier struck Campbell on the head and strangled her at an apartment on McCully Street before removing her body in a green bin and disposing of it under the Macdonald Bridge.
Dr. Matthew Bowes, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Examiner, told the court that he performed an autopsy on a body that police found under the Macdonald Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 16, 2015.
READ: Garnier Trial: Jury shown pictures of body discovered under Macdonald Bridge
Bowes said he was able to positively identify the body as belonging to Campbell through dental records and determined that her death was a homicide caused by strangulation.
In addition, Bowes said when Campbell’s body was located, she had a fractured nose and black eyes. Bowes testified he believed the fractured nose occurred at or around the time of death.
READ MORE: Christopher Garnier’s defence lawyer floats idea of erotic asphyxiation in Catherine Campbell death
Last week, the court released surveillance video from inside the Halifax Alehouse in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 2015.
The footage shows Garnier and Campbell kissing and dancing on the day it’s alleged she was killed.
WATCH: Surveillance video from inside the Halifax Alehouse on the night the Crown alleges off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell was killed
Video footage was also previously released showing a man leaving a home on McCully Street with a green bin.
The man in the video was not identified in court as Garnier.
WATCH: Video of a man pushing a pushing a green bin from a McCully Street home
Garnier’s trial is scheduled to last five weeks at Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.
Testimony in the case will resume next Monday at 9:30 a.m.
Comments