Witnesses in Fertuck murder trial to be brought back at defendant’s request | 24CA News
A years-long homicide trial on the Court of King’s Bench in Saskatoon is reopening a portion of the case after defendant Greg Fertuck requested to personally cross-examine witnesses.
Fertuck is on trial for first-degree homicide within the disappearance of his ex-partner, Sheree Fertuck, whom he’s accused of killing in 2015.
Sheree’s physique has by no means been discovered.
Fertuck stated he wished to query his ex-partner, Doris Laroque, and ballistics skilled Kenneth Chan, who has already been on the stand twice.
Fertuck is defending himself, and stated his earlier attorneys, Morris Bodnar and Mike Nolin, didn’t ask the witnesses the questions he wished them to.
A doc from the choose, Justice Richard Danyliuk, giving the inexperienced mild to the cross-examination went over the details and evaluation that led to the choice.
The choose wrote that it has been 18 months because the trial started and far of the delay was attributable to Fertuck.
It was famous {that a} portion of the case was beforehand reopened after Crown counsel famous that new proof had been present in March 2022.
Fertuck stated he wished Laroque to testify in particular person, reasonably than within the comfortable room the place she had beforehand testified, however the choose refused to power her private attendance.
The doc stated Fertuck believes Laroque was coerced and threatened right into a non-contact order in opposition to him, and {that a} assertion made to her by Fertuck admitting that he killed Sheree by no means occurred.
Related News
It added that Fertuck believes he can both show or forged doubt {that a} shell casing discovered within the gravel pit the place Sheree disappeared didn’t come from a gun Fertuck owned if given the chance to cross-examine Chan.
“The overarching consideration is trial fairness. Mr. Fertuck must be allowed to meet the case against him. He says the conduct of this trial by prior counsel limited that right, and that such limitations can be dealt with by allowing him to further cross-examine two Crown witnesses. I have decided to afford him the opportunity to do so,” learn the doc.
The choose famous that Fertuck doesn’t have carte blanche to ask something he desires, including that the Crown could object or Danyliuk could intervene.
The Crown attorneys stated they have been “dismayed” by the timing of the request given they’re a number of years into the trial.
While Fertuck stated he solely needs to cross-examine two witnesses, it might result in a rebuttal by the Crown, dragging out the proceedings even additional.
A court docket heard in January 2022, that Fertuck advised undercover law enforcement officials he dumped a rifle within the space of Biggar, Sask., after capturing Sheree.
In April 2022, the Crown offered a rifle present in rural Saskatchewan to the court docket as proof.
A Ruger 10/22 was present in a wooded space by Highway 14, close to Kinley, Sask., about 57 kilometres west of Saskatoon.
Chan related the rifle to the 2 shell casings discovered at a gravel pit within the Kenaston space, the place Sheree was final seen.
— with recordsdata from Brooke Kruger and Kelly Skjerven
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
