Accused was 'frantic' around time of shooting, says witness at attempted murder trial in Moncton

A woman testified Janson Baker wasn't acting like he normally would around the time he shot a teacher in Riverview three years ago.

"He was acting a little bit frantic," Karley Burrell testified Thursday, the fourth day of Baker's trial on 16 charges that include attempting to murder teacher Christopher Leger on Jan. 5, 2021, outside Riverview High School.

The 27-year-old's other charges include using a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun to attempt to rob Leger and Joshua Hebb of gym bags, possessing a stolen car, and various firearms offences. 

Burrell testified that Baker had stopped by her Moncton apartment between 5 and 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 to drop off his girlfriend before leaving to do something else. She said he didn't say what he'd be doing. 

The shooting happened around 5:11 p.m. that day.

Burrell said Baker would normally stop and talk, but he didn't that day.

"This time he didn't stay very long at all, he seemed quite frantic, or that he had a lot on his mind," she said.

She testified she joked to him not to do anything she wouldn't. 

"I made a joke 'don't get into any trouble' because he seemed very nervous, or frantic," she said. 

She said that less than an hour after dropping off his girlfriend, she heard Baker return and yell to his girlfriend that they were leaving. She didn't see him before they left.

Burrell testified that Baker had been "normal" when they hung out on Jan. 4, 2021, though under cross-examination said he may have smoked crystal methamphetamine that night. 

"Unless he's under the influence of something, he's normally quite reserved," she said when asked about his normal state. 

Defence lawyer Alex Pate's cross-examination focused on Baker's state while using drugs.

Burrell said she believed Baker went into a psychosis while using meth, a comment that drew an objection from the prosecutor because it verged into a medical diagnosis. 

Asked what she meant, Burrell said Baker would sometimes get aggressive and ramble about his past. 

She said he believed he was being followed by vehicles and police. 

Burrell was the seventh witness to testify in the trial, which is expected to be significantly shorter after Baker made various admissions in an agreed statement of facts on Wednesday. 

Those admissions include that he shot Leger, but he has not pleaded guilty and has not admitted committing a crime. 

Pate has said the defence will challenge whether Baker could form the necessary intent, suggesting they would seek an expert witness who could testify about whether intent can be formed while intoxicated. 

Testimony in the case is expected to continue Friday.