Jean-Philippe Bélanger was stabbed on May 3, 2022 with 15 stab wounds, one of which was fatal. The victim had eight wounds on his head and one of the blows pierced his body. Transferred to a hospital in Quebec, the 42-year-old victim succumbed to his injuries two days later.
When Sûreté du Québec (SQ) police officers arrived at the crime scene located on 7th Street West in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Kevin Labrie was holding a bloody hunting knife in his right hand. The officers arrested him. The man offered no resistance.
Thursday, Kevin Labrie refused to come to the courtroom at the courthouse. He followed the trial from his cell by videoconference. The Blois judge informed the 39-year-old accused that he had the right to intervene if he wanted to, a right which he did not exercise. He nevertheless followed the pleadings with attention.
Sometimes standing with his arms outside the bars of his cell, sometimes sitting at the foot of his bed. The defendant did not testify at his trial and no other witnesses were called by the defense.
Crown Plea
The Crown prosecutor, Me Jérôme Simard. (Johanne Fournier/Special collaboration)
The Crown recommended that the jury find Kevin Labrie guilty of second degree murder. His argument focused primarily on the testimony of the two people who were present at the scene during the murder.
They are Sébastien Lavoie, the half-brother of Kevin Labrie and roommate of the victim, as well as Paul Kenney, who opened the door for the accused on the morning of the events.
If their testimonies could present some contradictions and inaccuracies, Me Jérôme Simard pleaded the stress and the time which had passed since the crime committed two and a half years earlier.
“Mr. Lemieux said the accused had a blank stare and was looking ahead during the attack, the Crown attorney argued. He showed no emotion. His lips moved, but without sound. The accused knew that his actions could cause death and he was indifferent to it.”
— Me Jérôme Simard, Crown prosecutor
The prosecutor said the accused had stains of the victim’s blood in three or four places on his laundry. For Me Simard, Sébastien Lemieux told the truth.
Defense plea
During his plea, the defense attorney recalled that the prosecution’s evidence was based on the testimonies of Sébastien Lemieux and Paul Kenney which, according to him, are not credible. Me Hugo Caissy insisted on Sébastien Lemieux’s history of theft, fraud, swindle and drug trafficking as well as Paul Kenney’s criminal record for theft.
The lawyer argued that the testimonies of Messrs. Lemieux and Kenney do not agree.
“You have no proof that it was Kevin Labrie who carried out the actions. The presumption of innocence applies to everyone.”
— Me Hugo Caissy, defense lawyer
Mr. Caissy raised the two different versions told by Mr. Kenney. During his first statement, he told the officers that he did not know Kevin Labrie. A little later, overcome with remorse, he returned to the SQ station to finally admit that he had known the accused for about a year and a half.
“If he is lying in one of the versions, which one is true?” the defense attorney asked.
The defense lawyer, Me Hugo Caissy. (Johanne Fournier/Special collaboration)
Hugo Caissy highlighted the fact that, when the paramedics entered the apartment and one of them asked what had happened to the victim, who was still conscious, Mr. Bélanger replied that he was lying on the couch and was attacked from behind.
“He never named the attacker,” said the lawyer from the Amqui legal aid office. During the call to 9-1-1, Sébastien Lemieux did not name the attacker either.”
Me Caissy admitted that the victim’s blood had been found on his client’s clothes. “But the witnesses’ clothes were not analyzed because the police left them free.”
In closing, he asked the jury to acquit his client.
The jury will be isolated on Monday
The Blois judge released the jury for the weekend. Before adjourning the trial until Monday morning when he will provide instructions for about two hours, he asked jurors not to discuss the matter with anyone. “Don’t go online, don’t answer your family’s questions, I beg you. Otherwise, you expose yourself to criminal charges.”
The jury, made up of eight women and six men, will therefore return to court on Monday. A draw will determine two jurors who will be excluded from the deliberations. After the judge’s instructions, the jury will be segregated until it reaches a unanimous verdict.
