The Criminal and Penal Prosecutions prosecutor continued to cross-examine Steve Lévesque, who is accused of 2nd degree murder of Maxime Dugas-Lepage. The trial has been held at the Rimouski courthouse for 16 days now.
Prosecutor Jérôme Simard continued to ask the accused for details on his testimony given as leader at the beginning of the week.
He re-explained the sequence of events leading up to the shooting that would be responsible for the death of Maxime Dugas-Lepage. These events would have taken place at Mario Lafontaine, in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, on the night of January 20, 2020.
The accused insisted that he would never touch the gun that the victim was supposed to pull out, after the conversation turned sour at their dining table. He explained that the victim’s weapon was aimed at him while holding it in his right hand.
Steve Lévesque insisted that he then grabbed the victim’s right arm, touching it to the wrist and elbow. First sitting around the table, the two men can be seen standing and, still according to the accused’s statement, they will struggle without the accused letting go of the victim’s arm.
Mr. allegedly lost his balance. Lévesque and dragged Mr. Dugas-Lepage down with him. The accused indicated that the gun was level with their faces.
Steve Lévesque told the court he could have received the projectile. That could be mehe argued.
He explained that a projectile would hit the victim’s head. Mr. asked him. Simard, several times as the accused clarified his statement, whether the latter noticed exactly where the bullet hit the victim. The accused replied that he did not know and that he only saw the blood on Maxime Dugas-Lepage’s face.
The prosecutor also asked the accused if he had received blood splatters after the shooting. Steve Lévesque replied with drops thrown on one of the sleeves of his coat, but he would not receive anything in the face and that in his memory, he would not be hit by the wrap after the blow. dismissed.
Defendant also told the court that after the shooting he would look shocked.
Mr. asked him. Simard why, if he was in such a state, he smiled at the cashier of a gas station where he went to refuel after events. A video of this transaction was shown in court during the Crown’s presentation of evidence early in the trial.
Steve Lévesque admitted he smiled. He replied to the prosecutor that each individual’s reaction varied when he or she was in a state of shock and that Not everyone handles shock the same way.
The incarceration jury
A jury was not included in the jury on Thursday afternoon.
The jury in question tested positive for COVID-19.
The proceedings continued the same on Thursday afternoon as the jury always consisted of 12 people since 14 jurors were initially assigned.
Two of them are not included so far.
At the end of the day, the judge, François Huot, ordered the 12 remaining jurors to place themselves in isolation 24 hours a day in their respective homes for the next five days to avoid others. more jurors infected with COVID-19.
So the criminal and penal prosecuting attorney must complete his cross-examination next Wednesday.
If any of the jurors test positive for COVID-19, the court may postpone the resumption of jury hearings.
Source: Radio-Canada
