Teen shot 6 times at 2013 Halloween party, Regina murder trial hears
Kendall Latimer | CBC News | Posted: January 9, 2017 5:05 PM | Last Updated: January 10, 2017
Elijah Noname, 24, pleads not guilty to second-degree murder in death of Nolen Tanner
A murder trial is underway in the death of a teenager on Halloween night in Regina three years ago.
Elijah Noname, 24, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nolen Tanner, 18.
On Monday, the Crown said Tanner was shot six times at a Halloween house party in 2013. Prosecutors say evidence will show the murder was not accidental and that Noname committed the offence.
The jury can expect to hear Tanner's girlfriend, the mother of his child, testify. She was there with him at the party on the 500 block of Montreal Street and allegedly saw Noname shoot Tanner.
Noname's lawyer, Noah Evanchuk, says there is no doubt Noname shot Tanner, but will argue the circumstances leading up to the incident were justified and reasonable.
The defence says it will show Noname was stabbed in the lower back, prior to the shooting, and it was Tanner who did it.
Party gone bad
Evanchuk described the night of the death as "bedlam, mayhem, pandemonium," and that there were out-of-control fights that could have involved 20, 30 — maybe even 40 people.
Police arrived at the scene that night after receiving reports of a fight in a backyard that spilled onto the street. At the time, neighbours reported hearing multiple gunshots in the area.
The trial is expected to last about three weeks.
Noname will testify in his own defence.
Court will hear from Noname after the Crown makes its way through 23 witnesses, including members of the Regina Police Service, friends, family, partygoers and civilian witnesses.
Cpl. Scott Wolfe was the first and only witness to testify on Monday.
Noname is being tried by jury at the Court of Queen's Bench in Regina.
Tanner's death was Regina's ninth homicide of 2013.