Veltman trial: Week five underway in Superior Court

WARNING: The details in this article and videos may be disturbing to some viewers

After an extended long weekend, the terrorism trial of Nathaniel Veltman has resumed in Superior Court in Windsor.

According to CTV News Windsor’s Michelle Maluske, the 19th witness in the trial is Sgt. Liyu Guan, of the Windsor Police Service.

Federal prosecutor Sarah Shaikh is conducting a voir dire [a trial within a trial] in front of the jury, of his expertise as a "digital forensic examiner."

The jury was let go around 12 p.m. on Thursday and members were told they were not needed Friday. Monday was recognized as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

This marks the fifth week of the trial after jury selection started on Sept. 5 and eight weeks of court time have been set aside.

The jury was also told on Thursday that the trial is ahead of schedule.

Week four concluded with an agreed statement of facts about items that were found in the accused’s pickup truck including an airsoft pistol, machete and knives.

Two members of the digital forensics unit from London police also walked through the electronic and digital items that were seized and the steps that were taken to maintain the evidence.

Week 4 recap

The week started with a new Agreed Statement of Facts, outlining the items seized inside Veltman’s pickup truck.

They include: an airsoft pistol that looked like a black handgun, a six-inch serrated knife, a two-inch serrated knife with a curve, and 12-inch machete in the sheath.

Also on Monday, Detective Constable Specialist Richard Veerman showed the jury the pictures he took of Veltman’s downtown London apartment. Nathaniel Veltman

They show a small ‘studio’ apartment that is messy, with numerous drawers open plus various electronic devices visible.

The first officer to interact with Veltman testified on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Const. Sarah Cochrane says Veltman was cooperative at all times during her arrest of the accused bust she did say he was consistently “smiling” and “looking around”.

She told the jury she initially arrested him for dangerous driving; charges that were upgraded twice to attempted and then first-degree murder.

The crown read another agreed statement of facts on Wednesday, about the causes of death for all four victims.

The official cause of death is listed as “multiple trauma” from blunt force injuries.

On Thursday two members of the London Police’s Digital Forensic unit testified.

They told the jury they seized a cellphone, laptop, two USB thumb drives, an external hard-drive and sale documents for the pickup truck used in the collision.

The trial did not continue on Friday, although the judge did not provide a reason to the jury.