Greg Fertuck, who is on trial for first-degree murder in the disappearance of his ex-partner, asked the Court of King’s Bench in Saskatoon to reopen a portion of his case on Friday.
Fertuck is accused of killing Sheree Fertuck in 2015 and is currently undergoing a lengthy trial.
Sheree’s body has never been found.
Fertuck asked the court to open a voir dire, or a trial within a trial, so he can personally cross-examine witnesses who have already been on the stand.
He wants to question his ex-partner, Doris Laroque, and ballistics expert Kenneth Chan, who has already been on the stand twice.
Fertuck, who is now defending himself, said his previous lawyers, Morris Bodnar and Mike Nolin, did not ask the witnesses the questions he wanted them to.
A court heard in January 2022, that Fertuck told undercover police officers he dumped a rifle in the area of Biggar, Sask., after shooting Sheree.
In April 2022, the Crown presented a rifle found in rural Saskatchewan to the court as evidence.
A Ruger 10/22 was found in a wooded area by Highway 14, near Kinley, Sask., about 57 kilometres west of Saskatoon.
Chan connected the rifle to the two shell casings found at a gravel pit in the Kenaston area, where Sheree was last seen.
On Friday, Fertuck said he is confident that if the voir dire is granted, he can prove that the rifle does not belong to him.
Presiding judge, Justice Richard Danyliuk, reminded Fertuck that any questions he asks witnesses are not evidence, and that only the responses given by the witnesses would be admissible.
The Crown attorneys said they are “dismayed” by the timing of the request given they are several years into the trial.
While Fertuck said he only wishes to cross-examine two witnesses, it may lead to a rebuttal by the Crown, dragging out the proceedings even further.
Danyliuk, acknowledging how long the trial has taken, said he hopes to provide a decision in about two weeks.
— with files from Global News’ Kelly Skjerven