'Which time under oath did you lie?': Murder trial witness confesses to lying during testimony
A key witness in a Windsor murder trial was on the stand for the second week in a row Thursday, where the defence pressed for answers about ‘inconsistencies’ between his preliminary hearing and trial testimonies.
Jacob Reaume has been the only witness to take the stand in the trial of three men, Keermaro Rolle, Tameko Vilneus and Kyle Hanna, who all face first degree murder and attempted murder charges for their alleged role in the shooting death of Madisen Gingras, 20, on April 1, 2020.
Reaume was dating Gingras at the time and was also shot in the arm during the incident, which happened near the intersection of Northwood and Cleary Streets in south Windsor.
Last week, the crown laid out a narrative of what happened the night Madisen Gingras was shot in the head and killed based on testimony from Reaume.
In court on Thursday, the defence got a turn to grill Reaume about his recollection of events.
On a number of occasions, Harpreet Saini, defence lawyer for Kyle Hanna, had Reaume recount some of that trial testimony.
But based on Reaume’s answers about who was pointing a gun at who, where they were in a motel room the evening the incident happened and how a bag of trash allegedly containing bloody towels was disposed, the defence alleged some inconsistencies.
Saini re-read transcripts from the preliminary hearing, which took place back in September of 2021. He pointed out differences between Reaume’s testimony then versus what he’s said during trial over the past two weeks.
“Can I suggest these are not the only lies you’ve said about Mr. Hanna?” said Saini.
“I don’t recall,” Reaume responded.
“You said the bag was clear plastic and you could see into the bag and towels covered in blood,” said Saini, referring to testimony offered by Reaume Thursday, which differed from his testimony from the preliminary hearing, where Reaume said he didn’t know what was in the bag.
“Which time under oath did you lie?” Saini asked Reaume.
Reaume responded: “The first time.”
“You told a judge in the Ontario Court of Justice on Sept. 28, under oath, that you did not see what was in the bag. You lied to that judge. Agreed?” asked Saini.
“Yes,” conceded Reaume.
There is a 14-member jury hearing the case, one that could last up to three months with more than 70 witnesses in the queue.
The trial is taking a break and is scheduled to resume Monday, March 6, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.