Brandon Metallic, who is representing himself, faces two counts of second degree murder which occurred on May 15, 2021.
Five days at the Court of Quebec are devoted to the preliminary inquiry, an essential legal step before a trial.
On Monday, the 31-year-old man was calm in the dock, watched by two peace officers.
He was dressed in black, handcuffs in hand. He had a beard and had long hair. He often looked at the ground during testimony and did not take notes.
Impossible to know for the moment how many witnesses the accused wants to call to the bar this week. On the side of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP), the two lawyers have planned 13 witnesses.
All testimony heard this week is subject to a publication ban, as the lawyer for the DPCPFlorence Frappier-Routhier. Subsequently, these witnesses will probably return to court, this time before a judge and a jury. [C’est] For [ne] not that the future jurors can be, in one way or another, contaminated.
Brandon Metallic assumes his defense alone, but two lawyers are still present to accompany him. Me Arianne Cayer is acting as a friend of the court.
His role is to ensure that he respects the proper conduct of procedures. I have no duty to advise Mr. Metallic, only to inform. That is to say, to make sure that the questions he intends to ask are legal, that they are questions that arise, that are not vexatious.
Brandon Metallic was able to cross-examine certain witnesses, which he did calmly and calmly.
For certain interrogations, it is another lawyer, Mr.e Hugo Caissy, who is responsible for asking questions in place of the accused. This is to avoid putting people in direct contact with the accused, [lorsqu’elles pourraient se sentir] vulnerable or that they might feel intimidated.
At the end of the week, judge Janick Poirier will have to render her decision.
If it concludes that there is enough evidence, the case will be transferred to the Superior Court where there could be a trial by judge and jury.
