The final arguments were heard at the trial of Anthony and Roger Bilodeau on Monday. The jury must now decide whether the father-son duo is guilty of the 2020 homicides of two mixed-race hunters, or whether they accept the self-defense case.
The jury may find each of the two defendants guilty of second -degree murder, guilty of manslaughter, or not guilty.
The question for the jury is not whether Anthony Bilodeau shot Jacob Sansom and his uncle, Maurice Cardinal, but why.
For the last time on Monday, defense attorneys tried to convince jurors that Mr. Bilodeau has a real and reasonable fear for his safety as well as that of his father and younger brother.
They say Jacob Sansom was trying to strangle Roger Bilodeau when his son Anthony arrived on the scene.
If Anthony hadn’t arrived yet, [son petit frère] and Roger would not have survived tonightplease Me Brian Beresh.
The Crown disputes this version of the facts. According to him, neither Jacob Sansom nor Maurice Cardinal posed an immediate danger at this time.
Anthony Bilodeau had no excuse to introduce a gun in a bare knuckle battle which seemed to be running out of steam, according to the prosecutor.
A car chase and a request for a gun
The Crown and the defense agreed on certain facts that took place on March 27, 2020 in Glendon, 215 kilometers northeast of Edmonton.
Jacob Sansom, 33, and his uncle, Maurice Cardinal, 58, spent the day hunting moose and visiting friends.
Warning that their blue van was driving into his property without permission, Roger Bilodeau chased them in his own vehicle, along with his 16-year-old son. He followed the car for 7 kilometers, sometimes reaching 152 km/h.
While driving, Mr. called. Bilodeau had his son Anthony and asked to bring a gun.
When the latter joined the two vehicles, stopping at an intersection, he shot Jacob Sansom once, then three times at Maurice Cardinal.
Broken window and torn shirt collar
The defense says Roger Bilodeau only followed Mr. Sansom and Mr. Cardinal on purpose asked them what they were doing on his land and he asked his son to bring a gun as a precaution, as he suspected that it might be thieves who might have been armed.
In retrospect, it’s easy to say he was wrong […] but following someone to ask what they are doing to their property does not make them a murdererplease his attorney, Monday.
Brian Beresh, who is defending Anthony Bilodeau, asked the jurors put on shoes of his client.
He said the latter had heard violent threats against his father and that, when he arrived at the scene, Jacob Sansom was strangling him.
Anthony Bilodeau has no experience that will prepare him to handle his face. He had to deal with a sudden event, on a cold, dark night in the prairies, with limited information.he says.
When Jacob Sansom was killed, Maurice Cardinal got out of the car holding a gun.
Me Beresh confirmed that he threatened to kill Anthony Bilodeau in retaliation.
The Crown agrees that Jacob Sansom is likely drunk and confused. He also admitted that there was a physical confrontation between him and Bilodeau’s father.
In addition, the broken car window and the torn collar of Roger Bilodeau’s shirt were witnesses to this.
According to the prosecutor, however, the confrontation ended when Anthony Bilodeau arrived.
He pointed out that when inspectors asked Roger Bilodeau if he had been hit, he said no, or maybe once on the shoulder without mentioning choking.
The Crown also recalled that Mr. Cardinal did not point his rifle at Bilodeaus, and was not loading the weapon when it was recovered by police.
Anthony Bilodeau fired not once, but three times at him.
It does not imply a protective intent. This indicates intent to killplease the prosecutor.
According to him, the Bilodeaus then left the two men to die of their injuries without attempting to seek help or police.
The accused lied to the police
Anthony Bilodeau also admitted he lied to police, broke the weapon he used and altered the look of his vehicle in an attempt to hide his connection to the incident.
The defense says this is because he is still afraid of being punished for standing up for his family and his story has not changed since he confessed.
Roger Bilodeau could be convicted of felony even if he did not shoot anyone, if the jury discovers that he had criminal intent with Anthony Bilodeau, and that he knew of the resulting homicides.
The jury has been sequestered and can now begin its deliberations.
Source: Radio-Canada
