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Guy Turcotte murder trial: Prosecutor cross-examines accused

The Crown prosecutor began the cross-examination of Guy Turcotte, hammering away at the former doctor's ability to remember the events that caused the death of his two young children on Feb. 20, 2009.

Former cardiologist accused of 'selective memory' in events causing the 2009 deaths of his two children

CBC News ·
Guy Turcotte, right, is being retried for the murder of his two children. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)
A Crown prosecutor hammered away at Guy Turcotte's apparent inability to remember the events that caused the deaths of his two young children on Feb. 20, 2009, as cross-examination kicked off at Turcotte's murder trial Wednesday in St.-Jérôme, Que.

Turcotte told the court that he could only recall certain flashbacks of the night his children died, such as standing with a knife in his hand while his son Olivier cried out for him to stop. 

Turcotte told the court that he panicked and continued, then proceeded to his daughter Anne-Sophie's room where he killed her, too.

Turcotte said that he remembers little else from that night other than ingesting methanol in an attempt to commit suicide. 

Crown prosecutor René Verret accused Turcotte of having a selective memory and pointed out that Turcotte had clear memories of other minor events from the same period, including showing concern about an outstanding cheque and objects he wanted colleagues to return.

Turcotte said that he focused on those details as a way to keep his mind off the flashbacks. 

He said that he was tending to the minor details prior to the deaths in an effort to put his affairs in order before committing suicide.

Verret asked Turcotte why he didn't kill himself with a knife after killing his children in that manner.

"You stabbed your children 46 times but lacked the courage and strength to stab yourself once?" asked Verret,

Turcotte said that he had been unable to locate the knife after killing his two children.

However, police later found a knife partly visible beneath his son's body and another near a bathtub in the bathroom off of Turcotte's bedroom. 

"How did you manage to miss it?" Verret asked.

"How do you want me to explain that?" replied Turcotte.

The trial, which began in mid-September, heard from 29 prosecution witnesses over 11 days.

Turcotte's lawyers have pleaded a defence of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder.

with files from Canadian Press

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