Accused in Reno Lee homicide was like brother to witness, court hears

Cross-examination of a witness continued Friday in the trial of three men accused of killing Reno Lee in 2015.

The court heard testimony of drug hierarchy, a hazy memory on the night of April 16, 2015, and how one of the men on trial was like a brother to the witness.

The witness cannot be named due to a publication ban. 

He described himself as at the bottom of the drug hierarchy, below the people who distribute drugs and below "the big guys with all the dope."

The witness said he was at the bottom because he was using at the time.

Bronson Gordon, Daniel Theodore and Andrew Bellegarde have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and committing an indignity to a body. 

Lee's remains were found on the Star Blanket First Nation on April 30, 2015, but it was later determined he died in Regina.

He was the city's third homicide victim of 2015. Lee was allegedly killed over a drug debt.

When questioned by Gordon's lawyer, the witness described himself as a little brother to Gordon.

The witness wasn't sure where Gordon stood in the hierarchy, but said Gordon didn't give him any drugs. 

"But I pushed him," the witness said. 

The witness denied owing Gordon a drug debt, despite a police officer saying he was told that was the case. Earlier in the week's proceedings, another witness testified he had owed about $800 to Gordon. 

The man testified he doesn't remember much from April 16, 2015, explaining he was "confused" while on the stand Friday.

He testified that right after two of the accused showed up with Lee and a gun to a home on the 1100 block of Garnet Street, he ran across the street to hide some drugs.

"I didn't know what was going to happen [at the home]," he said.

The home is where Lee was allegedly held before he died.

Change of story

During cross-examination by Theodore's defence lawyer, George Combe, the witness changed his tune about a specific detail.  

He originally told the court that he received a phone call before the group showed up at the Garnet Street home on April 16.

He said he couldn't remember whether it came in from his friend, Bronson Gordon, or his new acquaintance, Daniel Theodore. 

The bald-headed Theodore was also known as Buddha. Both were in his phone as "B," the witness told the court. 

However, upon cross-examination, Combe asked whether it's hard for the witness to testify with Gordon in the prisoner's box. 

The witness said yes. 

Then Combe suggested the witness would feel like he's ratting out his close friend, to which the witness again replied yes. 

"Let's cut to the chase, my friend," said Combe. "It was Bronson that called, wasn't it?"

"Yep," the witness replied, while looking down.

The trial resumes Monday at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina.