Neighbour recalls fatal attack as Lajray Gordon murder trial continues

During a Saskatoon murder trial, Laila Thompson recalled seeing her neighbour involved in a physical altercation lasting “less than a minute” before the other person took off from the scene.

Thompson lived in the 300 block of Avenue E South in June 2016 when David Merasty was fatally stabbed. His alleged attacker, Lajray Gordon, is standing trial for second-degree murder.

Court viewed surveillance video from Thompson’s home from June 18, 2016, showing movement outside.

She testified to hearing an argument, viewing a physical interaction and seeing a black man run from the scene, pausing briefly and then continuing to run.

Thompson said the man looked high on drugs and appeared to be on a “rush of adrenaline.”

Sgt. Shannon Murray with Saskatoon police was also called as a witness Thursday.

She testified to viewing surveillance videos from roughly eight to ten businesses in the Riversdale neighbourhood as part of the investigation into Merasty’s death.

One video, according to Murray, appeared to show a black man running down an alley between Avenues E and D.

The person didn’t look impaired by drugs or alcohol, Murray said during cross-examination, though the sergeant stated she has no specialized training to determine whether a person is intoxicated by looking at video.

The Crown is expected to call chief forensic pathologist Dr. Shaun Ladham as a witness on Friday.

The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.