A teen charged with attempted murder testified Wednesday that he had nothing to do with a brutal assault on Heather Vanderzee, an employee at the Elk Island Youth Ranch near Lamont, Alta. in February.
Two teens, who both have lengthy criminal records, are facing a series of charges, including attempted murder, in connection with the attack. They are being tried separately. Both have pleaded not guilty.
The accused who testified on Wednesday was 15 years old at the time of the attack. He told the court he had been at the movies the night of the attack and had been sleeping when the co-accused in the case called his name.
“I opened my door and I saw [him] stomping on her,” the accused, who cannot be named because he is a youth, told the court. “I tried to stop him and he pushed me.”
He told the court that he had tried to help the woman by doing CPR.
“I started doing compressions that my mom taught me in first aid class,” he said.
WATCH MORE: Worker beaten at Alberta youth home says every bone in her face was broke
Earlier this year, Vanderzee told Global News that after the attack, every bone in her face was broken, she was stabbed in the cheek and she said there was an attempt to cut her throat.
Vanderzee identified the accused as one of the attackers to a co-worker when they found her after the attack. She testified on Monday and told the court that she didn’t remember anything from the attack, but that she had a good relationship with the accused.
It’s alleged the two accused stole a vehicle from the ranch and drove to a parking lot in north Edmonton. On Wednesday, one of the accused said he was pushed into the truck and that the co-accused had a knife.
“He said, ‘If you tell anybody, you’re going to be next,'” he said on the stand.
The pair were questioned about their identities at the Northgate Transit Centre where the accused told the court that he was pressured to give officers there a false name.
Transit officers told the court the accused appeared to be bragging about his involvement in the assualt.
READ MORE: 2 teens arrested and charged with attempted murder in assault near Edmonton
Along with one of the accused and victim, several witnesses were called to testify including police officers, peace officers, transit officers and security at a northeast Edmonton medical centre. The accused was arrested at the health centre the day after the attack.
Security officers told the court when the accused came into the centre, he appeared hysterical and was shaking and crying. They told the court that he believed a woman at the youth ranch was dead.
Police were called and arrested the teen before he was taken to the Fort Saskatchewan RCMP detachment by officers. The teen admitted to being on marijuana and crack when he was arrested, but a recording of the arrest that was played in court showed he denied having any alcohol and drugs in his system to police.
READ MORE: Family of attacked Elk Island youth worker felt ‘anger’ seeing teens charged with attempted murder
The Crown argues the testimony from the teen should be rejected by the judge in the case, calling some of the information “fanciful.” Prosecutor Marissa Tordoff argued that the testimony was inconsistent and alleged it was”being made up on the fly”.
The co-accused, who was arrested on a City of Edmonton bus the same day, also testified but a publication ban prohibits media from reporting what was said in his testimony until his trial date, or whenever the case is resolved – whichever comes first.
Defence attorney Gary Smith argued it was the testimony of the co-accused that should be rejected.
An overarching publication ban on the trial was put in place, but after an application to have it removed in its entirety by a Global News lawyer, parts of it were lifted.
On Friday, the judge in the trial that just wrapped up for the first of the two accused is expected to set a date for when he will make a decision about his guilt or innocence.
The trial for the second teen is set for Feb. 1.
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