Jordan Manners was fatally shot by one young man and then robbed by another as he lay dying inside a Toronto school, the Crown alleged Wednesday.
"This is about the shooting death of a boy named Jordan. The shocking nature of this case is that it takes place in a high school, in the middle of the afternoon, while class is in session," said Crown attorney Aaron Del Rizzo in his opening argument.
Two 20-year-old men, who can be identified only as C.P.D. and J.J.W. because they were youths at the time of the May 2007 incident are on trial on charges of first-degree murder in Ontario Superior Court.
They are accused of intentionally killing their 15-year-old friend, after dragging him down some stairs at C.W. Jeffreys Collegiate, a school near the Jane-Finch neighbourhood in Toronto.
The death of Manners, who had just turned 15, was the first fatal shooting in a Toronto school and received widespread publicity.
"Much of the evidence you will hear will be unpleasant," the Crown cautioned the jury in his opening address.
In outlining the prosecution’s case, Del Rizzo told the jury there were eyewitnesses to the shooting.
One young woman will testify she saw C.P.D. walking with Manners, with J.J.W. following behind.
"She sees J.J.W. drag Jordan Manners down the stairs and put something to his chest," said Del Rizzo. "C.P.D. rifles through his pockets. Then they flee the scene," the Crown stated.
"Jordan Manners is collapsed on the ground, having trouble breathing. There is a small hole in his chest, from a .25 calibre bullet, that went through his heart and pierced his lung," said Del Rizzo.
J.J.W. returned to the school a short time later and "acted as if he were unaware of what transpired," the Crown said.
A police forensics officer was called as the first witness.
The trial is expected to last one month.
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