The 51-year-old woman who was also accused of first degree murder before settling her case for manslaughter and who became a repentant witness for the Crown was questioned closely by defense lawyer Me Martin Latour. Lana Dubois admitted that she once testified before a jury when her father was charged with murder.
“Have you ever lied to the jury?” asked Me Latour of the repentant witness. After hesitating, Ms. Dubois said: “I did not lie to the jury, I avoided saying a word.”
At the time, Lana Dubois was invited to testify by the Crown, she who was allegedly an eyewitness to the crime.
Lana Dubois’ father was allegedly invited by another man to fight with his bare hands. The father finally pulled out a gun and fatally shot the victim. According to Me Latour, Lana Dubois’ father then tried to disguise the scene with a piece of wood and a rag. He was ultimately acquitted for self-defense, since his daughter did not mention to the jury that the man wanted to fight with his bare hands, according to Mr. Latour.
“I did not see the entire crime,” assured Lana Dubois, specifying that she had not lied to the jury.
The tone rises
Several times in the first half hour of the hearing, the witness grew impatient with the questions from the defense lawyer who questioned her about her early relationship with the accused. Ms. Dubois questioned the relevance of these questions and had to be called to order by the judge.
The defense lawyer tried to get Dubois to admit that she had come to the table to be able to negotiate reduced charges as well as a more lenient sentence, which she rejected out of hand. She maintains that she wanted to give her version of the facts to take her share of the blame and to get rid of the lie.
Before turning around, Dubois was also accused of first degree murder. She eventually pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter and served a four-and-a-half year prison sentence.
“I had a crappy life,” she admitted. When I decided to take charge of myself and live a new life by no longer being into drugs and no longer committing crime… I’m 51 years old, it’s time to take charge of myself again and to be an honest citizen.”
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“When I decided to tell the truth and plead guilty to manslaughter, I was ready to take my piece of the pie. I wasn’t ready to take what didn’t belong to me,” she added.
The woman also returned to the subject of dishonesty that she had raised the day before. “The old Lana was dishonest. Today, she is honest,” she assured.
Criminal history
Me Latour notably questioned Lana Dubois about her honesty with her ex-spouse, because she allegedly hid a prison sentence that she had to serve on weekends. He questioned her at length about her criminal record, both in Canada and the United States.
Me Latour also returned to several crimes committed by Lana Dubois, who admitted to having used her father to import-export drugs “on one occasion” in the United States. He also made her speak about crimes she committed in the United States, including illegal entry, as well as possessing a knife for a dangerous purpose and other crimes. She also drove numerous times while losing her driver’s license due to driving while impaired.
Questioned about her stubbornness in wanting to return to live in the United States after being deported, Me Latour asked the repentant witness: are you hard-headed? “Very tough,” replied Lana Dubois without hesitation, recognizing however that she is “a person who can be influenced.”
“In my new life, I don’t commit crimes, I don’t lie to the team. I keep appointments and there are things I’m not allowed to do. I respect my conditions,” she assured the 14 jurors.
Is it important to respect the judge’s conditions? “At the time, I saw less importance of respecting the laws. I was a drug addict and I committed crimes,” replied Lana Dubois.
The cross-examination of Lana Dubois will resume Friday morning.
