Crown says Khill trial is about a 'killing that never should have happened'
Assistant Crown attorney James Nadel began his opening address to the jury in the trial of Peter Khill Tuesday by describing the death of Jon Styres as a “killing that never should have happened.”
Khill is charged with second-degree murder for shooting Styres, a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River, around 3 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2016.
In his opening remarks to the jury, Nadel said Styres was trying to steal Khill’s “15-year-old pickup truck” when the accused woke up, loaded a Remington 12 gauge shotgun with two shells and ran outside to confront him.
Styres was shot twice from “close range,” according to Nadel, who said forensic experts determined the muzzle of the gun was less than 12 feet away from the 29-year-old when it was fired twice, causing two lethal wounds — one in the chest and the other in the back right shoulder.
“Two shots, two hits,” he said.
Hamilton police cruisers sit outside the home on Highway 56 in Glanbrook where the body of Jon Styres was found. (Tucker Wilson/CBC)
Nadel added blood spatter evidence on the outside and interior of the passenger door showed Styres was most likely facing the truck when he was shot.
He said Styres died in the mud at the scene, a screwdriver near one hand and a spent shotgun shell lying by his feet.
Defence doesn’t deny Khill shot Styres
After the Crown’s address, Khill’s defence lawyer, Jeff Manishen, told the court his client doesn’t dispute the fact that he shot Styres twice with the gun, which was later found by police.
He also said Khill doesn’t deny Styres died of injuries “he incurred in the course of that incident.”
Supporters for both Khill and Styres filled several benches in the Hamilton courtroom. At least one of Styres’ supporters was wearing a shirt with the hashtag #JusticeForJon.
Tawn Thomas is wearing a T-shirt with #JusticeForJon printed on it in support of the Styres family. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
Khill, who sat with his lawyers, was wearing a grey suit. His dark hair was cropped short.
The Crown is expected to call several witnesses and play the 911 call Khill’s girlfriend made to police after hearing the shots as the trial continues Tuesday afternoon.
The case is being watched by Indigenous community leaders because it raises similar legal issues to the controversial case in Saskatchewan involving the death of Colten Boushie, an Indigenous man.
In that case, an apparently all-white jury acquitted Gerald Stanley of second-degree murder in Boushie’s death.
For this trial, prospective jurors were screened for possible racial bias and the jury has at least one non-white person.
MORE TO COME.