Basil Borutski's fate now in jury's hands
Carol Culleton, Anastasia Kuzyk, Nathalie Warmerdam killed Sept. 22, 2015
The six men and five women of the jury at accused triple murderer Basil Borutski's trial have been charged and are deliberating.
The morning of Sept. 22, 2015, 66-year-old Carol Culleton was strangled to death at her cottage near Combermere, Ont., 36-year-old Anastasia Kuzyk was shot to death at her home in Wilno, Ont., and 48-year-old Nathalie Warmerdam was shot to death at her house near Eganville, Ont.
Borutski, 60, was arrested that same afternoon in a field in the rural west Ottawa community of Kinburn, Ont., and charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
In an interview the next day with OPP in Pembroke, Ont., he confessed to all three killings.
Borutski did not hire a lawyer and therefore represented himself during the seven weeks of proceedings. The court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf after Borutski failed to enter one himself.
Crown attorneys Jeffery Richardson and Julie Scott presented their case in 17 days, calling about 45 witnesses.
Ignore Borutski's obstinacy, judge cautions
Borutski did not respond when asked by Justice Robert Maranger if he had witnesses to call or testimony to make in his defence. He remained silent when he was asked to make a closing statement.
During two hours of detailed instructions to the jury Wednesday, Maranger cautioned the jury not to try to guess why Borutski didn't hire a lawyer and didn't participate in his trial.
"Take nothing from it, one way or the other," he said.
Maranger also outlined the jury's four possible verdicts on each of the three counts: guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter or not guilty.
During the trial, a lawyer appointed to ensure Borutski gets a fair trial, James Foord, briefly cross-examined some witnesses to prevent a miscarriage of justice, and also made a closing statement. Another lawyer, Pat McCann, cross-examined a couple witnesses who weren't comfortable with the prospect of being questioned by Borutski.
One of the jurors — there were 12, originally — was discharged Tuesday due to a family emergency.
The 11 remaining jurors could deliver a verdict at any time.