Defence closes its case in Nicholas Butcher 2nd-degree murder trial

Nicholas Butcher couldn't explain the number of stab wounds on girlfriend Kristin Johnston's neck, as he faced renewed cross-examination Monday in his second-degree murder trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.

Following Butcher's testimony, the defence announced it had wrapped its case. The jury is expected to return to court on Thursday for closing arguments and instructions from the judge, after which they will begin deliberations.

Butcher, 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of Johnston, 32, a Montreal-born yoga instructor, on March 26, 2016. He has testified to fatally stabbing her in her Purcells Cove-area home, but said it was accidental after she attacked him in his sleep.

He has said he stabbed her four times in the neck, however medical examiner Marnie Wood has testified Johnston had 10 sharp-force injuries on her neck.

When questioned Monday by Crown attorney Carla Ball about the discrepancy, Butcher said, "I don't know."

Questioned about wounds

Ball pressed Butcher on the "nice, tight pattern" of stab wounds on his neck, saying it would have been difficult for Johnston to achieve, stabbing him in the dark. Ball showed pictures of Johnston's neck wounds and said they don't have a similar, tight pattern. Butcher disagreed.

The jury has heard that Johnston's hands had what appeared to be defensive injuries, as though she was trying to ward off an attack.

Butcher has testified he only realized he'd stabbed Johnston when he turned on the lights. He said he then tried to kill himself, first by stabbing himself and then with razor blades.

He said he then brought a mitre saw up from the basement and cut his hand off in the bedroom. The hand has since been reattached.

A Halifax Regional Police officer testified last week her head was covered with a pillow and a black-handled steak knife was next to her on the bed. Butcher denied covering her head with a pillow.

When questioned Monday about someone accessing Johnston's Facebook account from her home computer minutes after she left for the bar where she was meeting with friends, Butcher denied it was him. In those messages, Johnston talks about breaking up with Butcher.

Deep in debt

Last week, Butcher told the jury that when he returned home to get cigarettes later that same evening, Johnston's computer was blaring music. Butcher testified that when he went to turn off the music, Johnston's Facebook page was open and he read her private messages.

That's where Butcher said he learned that Johnston planned on going to Mike Belyea's house in what Butcher testified he believed was a house party. Early the morning Johnston was killed, Butcher found her in bed with Belyea. 

The jury also heard text messages read aloud in court where Butcher said to his landlord how "stressed out" he was over his inability to pay rent on time.

Butcher, a Dalhousie University law school graduate who also has a BA and a masters, acknowledged Monday that he was $200,000 in debt from school.

Other text messages presented in court from Butcher to a friend say that he and Johnston broke up in November 2015. The jury heard the couple had broken up between Nov. 19 and Dec. 12, getting back together just before Johnston went home to Montreal for Christmas.

The trial began two weeks ago and is before a judge and jury.

The CBC's Blair Rhodes live blogged from court. Those on mobile can read here.