The Supreme Court of Canada rejected the appeal of Ugo Fredette, who challenged the decision of the Quebec Court of Appeal in his file, saying he erred in law.
In his jury instructions, Superior Court Judge Myriam Lachance indicated to the jurors for the first time that they needed to unite in the verdict, but they did not need to unite on the underlying offenses to determine whether or not Mr. Fredette committed first degree murder.
Ugo Fredette’s lawyer Me Philippe Comtois considered Judge Lachance to have erred. Instead, he argued that jurors need to be united on these issues in order to reach their verdict.
The three judges of the Court of Appeal rejected the motion filed by Me Comtois. The Court of Appeal held that the principles in R. v. Thatcher brought in the evidence applies to situations beyond the means of participation and the jury does not have to agree on the alternative paths offered by law to arrive at a guilty verdictrecalled the judgment of the Supreme Court, which therefore dismissed the appeal.
Ugo Fredette stabbed his ex-wife Véronique Barbe, 41, to death at their home in Saint-Eustache on September 14, 2017, because she did not accept that he wanted to leave her. He then fled with a child before killing Yvon Lacasse, a 71 -year -old stranger, in Lachute, to steal his vehicle. He was arrested the next day in Ontario.
On October 19, 2019, he was convicted of two first degree murders, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 25 years.
Radio CanadaGerald Fillion
Source: Radio-Canada
