Crown witness testifies to selling weapon to accused in Chelsie Probert killing
But teenager tells judge his memories are fragmented due to drug use
The Crown was allowed to call rebuttal evidence Thursday in the murder trial of the teenager accused of killing Chelsie Probert. But it's not clear what use, if any, the trial judge will make of it.
In Nova Scotia Youth Court, the Crown called a teenager who testified that he sold a weapon to the accused, something he described as a "fish gutter."
The same device has been referred to throughout the trial as a corkscrew. It was one of two weapons used in the attack on Probert, who was stabbed to death on a path in north-end Dartmouth in June 2017.
In his testimony last Friday, the accused said the device was a tool that he had found in a book bag he'd been given. He said he used the tool to repair his bike.
Witness called to refute claim
The final Crown witness was called to refute that.
The witness said the accused came to him looking for a weapon and he sold him the device for between five and 15 dollars. He couldn't remember whether the payment was in cash or cannabis.
That was just one of the problems with testimony from the final witness. He admitted that his memory is fragmented from heavy drug use.
He told court that at one point he was taking Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, up to five pills per day. He was also using ecstasy and cocaine.
Memories clouded by drug use
He said he would take weapons from his father's workshop, including a machete and a knife, and sell them to help support his habit. He said people knew to come to him for weapons because he posted pictures of himself brandishing knives on social media.
"Dartmouth can be tricky," he said, explaining the demand for weapons.
But the witness had trouble remembering details. He told the judge his memory was "discombobulated" by drug use and he couldn't recall exactly where or when he sold the corkscrew.
Judge Elizabeth Buckle raised concerns about the testimony of the witness.
She questioned whether he had ever mentioned to police about selling the corkscrew. In that case it should have been disclosed to defence before the trial.
The issue is expected to be dealt with when the trial resumes Friday.
Final arguments next month
There were two males with Probert the night she died.
A 20-year-old man testified for the Crown earlier in the trial, implicating the accused in the murder. The teen turned the tables when he took the stand in his own defence, saying the 20-year-old was the killer.
Final arguments in the case will be made next month.
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