The bush get together murder trial continued Thursday, however with just one, not two, defendants.
Revealed Nov 28, 2024 • Final up to date 1 hour in the past • 5 minute learn
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Carlos Guerra Guerra leaves the London courthouse along with his mom on Oct. 15, 2024. (Derek Ruttan/The )
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The bush get together murder trial continued Thursday, however with just one, not two, defendants.
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When the Superior Courtroom jury arrived within the courtroom after a week-long hiatus, solely Carlos Guerra Guerra, 23, and his defence lawyer Ricardo Golec have been seated on the defence desk and able to proceed the second-degree homicide trial within the taking pictures dying of Josue Silva, 18, on July 31, 2021.
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Lacking from the defence facet of the courtroom was Emily Altmann, 22, who had been on trial with Guerra Guerra, and her authorized defence staff of Nathan Gorham and Breana Vandebeek.
“You’ll note that Ms. Altmann is no longer before the court. I’ve also excused her counsel, Mr. Gorham and Ms. Vandebeek, from this trial,” Superior Courtroom Justice Patricia Moore informed the jury. “I am instructing you that you must not speculate as to the reason for her absence.
“We will carry on the trial for Mr. Guerra Guerra only. Ms. Altmann’s absence has no bearing on your verdict in relation to Mr. Guerra Guerra.”
Guerra Guerra has pleaded not responsible to second-degree homicide within the dying of Silva and never responsible to assault with a weapon of Logan Marshall at a mid-summer southwest London bush get together attended by greater than 100 younger folks.
The final time the jury attended the trial was on Nov. 21, once they have been informed the Crown was now not continuing with a second-degree homicide cost towards Altmann, however would transfer ahead with the included offence of manslaughter.
The jury was alleged to return Monday, however their presence wasn’t required till Thursday.
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The one Crown witness Thursday was Jamie Falardeau, 21, certainly one of 4 younger ladies who attended the get together with Altmann. The final witness from whom the jury heard earlier than Altmann exited the trial was Jamie Falardeau’s sister Jessica, 19, who was 15 on the time of the taking pictures.
Jamie Falardeau, responding to questions from assistant Crown lawyer Kristina Mildred, stated Altmann turned offended on the get together when somebody took a photograph of their group.
Altmann and good friend Lina Latif have been “freaking out a little bit about it,” Falardeau stated. Then, they have been hit by a drink.
“I just remember seeing someone wearing a black hoodie kind of throw a drink and run away,” she stated including the particular person “threw a couple of drinks at other people.”
She stated she acknowledged the drink thrower was Isabella Restrepo, based mostly on the clothes she was sporting. The group Restrepo was with was “being a bit rambunctious.” Altmann was hit within the again and a number of the liquid splashed on Falardeau.
Falardeau stated she ignored what occurred, however Altmann, with Latif standing beside her, was not joyful and began yelling at Restrepo.
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“I remember wanting to stay out of it,” Falardeau stated as a result of she knew Restrepo and her good friend Rachel Johnson. “I didn’t want to get involved.”
However the others have been “being stupid with each other,” Falardeau stated. Restrepo and Johnson, Falardeau stated, have been calm, even laughing, whereas Altmann and Latif yelled at them.
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Marshall, who was Restrepo’s boyfriend on the time, and Latif’s boyfriend stepped into the argument. Falardeau stated Marshall and his associates have been difficult Latif’s boyfriend, who was the one male in Altmann’s group. He picked up Latif, threw her over his shoulder and carried her out of the get together together with her nonetheless “yelling stupid stuff back.”
“I was just kind of over it all. I just wanted to go home at that point,” Falardeau stated. The group went again to Altmann’s automobile. As much as that time, Falardeau stated she didn’t see any weapons and there was no dialogue about weapons.
However Altmann was nonetheless offended, she stated, and he or she informed the group within the automobile once they have been driving across the block that she was “going to call some people to handle it for her.” She by no means heard Altmann say something a couple of gun or anybody getting shot.
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Falardeau stated she informed Altmann they’d go dwelling, however “she was drunk and she wouldn’t listen to me.”
After Altmann made the decision, Falardeau stated she and her sister went with Altmann. Falardeau stated she wished to return to the get together to say goodbye to a good friend.
On the nook, they waved down a Dodge Journey, which the jury has heard was Guerra Guerra’s. Two masked males and two ladies acquired out. Falardeau stated she noticed one of many males had a knife and “it kind of freaked me out a bit.”
Falardeau stated she wasn’t launched to the lads, however “I thought (Altmann) was dating one of them.”
Falardeau stated she went again to the hearth however couldn’t discover her good friend. As a substitute, she frolicked together with her sister and her associates, whereas Altmann and her group, now joined by Latif, have been in search of the individuals who had insulted her.
After about 10 minutes, Altmann informed her “they didn’t find these people and we’re leaving now.”
They began down the trail main again to the automobile when Latif shone her cellphone flashlight into the bushes. There have been folks crouched down and Falardeau stated Altmann requested her, “Is that them?”
Falardeau stated she might have stated “not sure, maybe or yes… I wish I hadn’t said anything. None of this would have happened.”
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First out of the bushes was Marshall’s good friend Matt Swan, then Marshall, then a male she didn’t know. She was targeted on Marshall, as a result of she knew him, and he was “running away”’ from the masked males when he was jumped.
The third man out of the bushes was tackled, too. “I didn’t see any weapons at all,” she stated. “It happened so fast.”
There have been two scuffles enjoying out on the bottom. Then got here the gunshot, and Falardeau grabbed her sister and ran. “I felt scared. I wasn’t expecting anyone to get shot. I felt terrible that it had happened. I was expecting a fist fight.
“I felt horrible. I was really scared,” she stated.
They ran to Altmann’s automobile the place Altmann was “hysterical and drunk and driving,” Falardeau stated. She stated she had not introduced her cellphone together with her, and even when she had, she stated she would have been too scared to all 911 as a result of Altmann “told us not to say anything about any of this.”
And Altmann had a textual content from one of many masked males ordering them to maintain quiet or else. All of them agreed they’d inform the police that they had left the get together at 12:30 a.m., earlier than the taking pictures occurred.
Falardeau admitted she spoke to her sister and the others about it and “I guess we saw things pretty differently that night.” Rumours started to flow into that Falardeau and her boyfriend, who wasn’t on the get together, have been concerned.
When the police did interview her, she stated she deserted the plan and “I told the police the whole truth about everything.”
In cross-examination, Golec took Falardeau by way of a collection of Snapchat messages earlier than she spoke to the police the place she challenged the rumours that she was concerned.
The trial continues on Friday.
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