Murder trial: Lawyer grills William Sandeson on his ‘two very different sides’

A Crown lawyer grilled William Sandeson about what she called his “two very different sides” during his first-degree murder trial Tuesday.

Sandeson, 30, is accused of killing 22-year-old Taylor Samson during a 20-pound cannabis deal the evening of Aug. 15, 2015.

The former medical student living in Halifax spent much of Monday on the witness stand after the defence opened its case. He admitted to killing Samson, but said it was done in self-defence during a struggle over a gun.

He also claimed he dumped Samson’s body in the Bay of Fundy.

During cross-examination Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Carla Ball suggested Sandeson intended to murder Samson when he brought a gun to a meeting with him.

Ball went over some of what Sandeson told the court the previous day: that he had an “idyllic” childhood, that he grew up on his family farm with two loving parents and three younger brothers, that he had lots of opportunities, and that he was a varsity track athlete who attended medical school in the Caribbean and was about to start medical school at Dalhousie University.

She also asked if he agreed he had “another side.”

“I sold drugs,” said Sandeson, who testified he used to sell cannabis, MDMA and magic mushrooms.

Ball tried to paint Sandeson as someone “entrenched in the drug trade,” who tried to get other people involved in illicit activity and intimidated others to get what he wanted.

Sandeson denied trying to get others involved in the drug trade, and described himself as “not a very intimidating person.”

2:26 William Sandeson claims he killed Taylor Samson in self-defence

He said while he owned a gun, he didn’t tell many people he had one, and his customers learned he sold drugs through word-of-mouth by other people, rather than him.

“I’m not broadcasting that I’m engaged in illegal activity,” he told the court, though he admitted he “wasn’t very discreet about my drug dealing.”

Ball quizzed Sandeson about his ownership of a 9mm Smith & Wesson semi-automatic handgun, which he registered in June 2015, two months before Samson’s death.

Sandeson said in his earlier testimony he got the gun because people he “dealt with” in Montreal were “uncomfortable” with him driving back and forth between Halifax and Montreal without protection.

“With that gun, you had confidence, didn’t you?” Ball asked Tuesday.

“I had more confidence that no one would be able to harm me,” Sandeson replied.

Sandeson had told the court earlier that he had plans to confront Samson the night of Aug. 15, 2015, over a recent home invasion and robbery he was allegedly involved in against an acquaintance.

While the two had made a deal for Sandeson to buy 20 pounds of weed for $40,000, Sandeson testified he only intended to give Samson $10,000.

When Samson became agitated during their meeting, Sandeson said he lifted the baggy shirt he was wearing to show Samson the gun tucked into his pocket.

Ball suggested Sandeson brought the gun with him that night no murder Samson.

“You planned to use that gun that night to kill,” she said.

“No, I planned to use that gun to intimidate,” Sandeson replied.

1:51 Crown closes case in William Sandeson retrial

Sandeson testified that Samson lunged for the gun, and was shot in the ensuing struggle.

Ball implied that Sandeson would have a lot to gain financially from killing Samson, saying he could make up to $90,000 by selling the 20 pounds of weed.

Sandeson said he “wouldn’t have made that,” and how much money people make from the drug trade depends on how much time is devoted to it. He said that if he purchased the 20 pounds for $2,000 each and sold each pound at a $200 profit, he would only make a profit of about $4,000.

Ball suggested that he could sell “even more (than $90,000) when you don’t pay the $40,000 that is owed for it.”

Sandeson disagreed with that, saying he would not be able to make $90,000 by selling 20 pounds of weed.

“You could certainly make $40,000 if you steal 20 (pounds),” Ball noted.

To that, Sandeson agreed.

Ball also noted that Sandeson had a line of credit with a balance of around $78,000 at the time of Samson’s death.

She estimated that with tuition, textbooks and rent, the cost for four years of school for Sandeson would amount to at least $112,000, not including food and lifestyle.

Sandeson said that amount doesn’t factor in grants, loans, and work.

A text from Sandeson’s father from July 17, 2015 was read aloud in court, expressing that his mother was “mad over the credit line.”

In response, Sandeson said “she has no need to be” and “will be paid this September.” The Crown pointed out this deadline was about two weeks after Samson’s murder.

Sandeson testified that he didn’t intend to pay off the line of credit, and instead wanted to have it “removed from my mother’s awareness” — transfer it to another bank where his mother, who was a co-signer, wouldn’t be able to monitor it.

The court heard that Sandeson had tried to remove his mother from the line of credit, but the request was denied by CIBC.

While the Crown said it would make financial sense for Sandeson to pay down the line of credit to reduce the interest he had to pay, Sandeson said the rate of interest was “so low” it made more sense to borrow money and invest it for a higher rate of return.

He also said he borrowed money from the line of credit to lend out to fellow drug dealers, who would pay the loans back with interest.

“You’d agree that you were under significant financial pressure?” said Ball.

“I was under next to no financial pressure,” Sandeson responded.

Ball brought up a text from July 17, 2015, in which he texted his girlfriend at the time saying he needed $400.

Ball continued: “You were in debt, big time.”

“I had a large balance on my line of credit,” said Sandeson, “but I had assets that more than totaled the line of credit.”

Late-night meeting

Text messages between Sandeson and Samson read aloud in court indicate that Samson wanted to meet in the morning of Aug. 15, 2015, but Sandeson lied to push the meeting back.

According to the texts, Sandeson told Samson that he was working in Bridgewater that day. He admitted in court that he was actually working at one of his jobs in Lower Sackville.

Ball argued that Sandeson wanted to “hold him off” – to isolate Samson in his apartment as late at night as possible.

Sandeson denied this, saying he lied because was still trying to figure out if he wanted to meet with Samson, and how he would confront him about the alleged home invasion.

It’s “not uncommon for drug dealers to lie to one another in that manner,” Sandeson testified, saying you don’t want them to have too much information about you.

Samson asked if he could meet by 9 p.m., but Sandeson said that wasn’t possible and would meet him at 10 p.m. instead.

Security video footage from the hallway of Sandeson’s Henry Street apartment that evening shows Sandeson and his then-girlfriend leave shortly before 7 p.m. to go to a restaurant.

Sandeson’s roommate was seen leaving the apartment about an hour later.

Sandeson and his former girlfriend were seen returning to the apartment at 8:50 p.m. She left shortly afterward to watch a TV show at a friend’s place, according to Sandeson’s earlier testimony.

The Crown attorney suggested that Sandeson had done “everything in (his) power” to isolate the property by the time Samson arrived, which Sandeson denied.

Sandeson’s cross-examination is expected to continue Wednesday.

— with files from Callum Smith