The victims’ mother and grandmother were present in the courtroom.
Jurors will have to determine whether the accused, who now identifies as a woman under the name Levana Ballouz, is guilty or not guilty of the murders of her partner Synthia Bussières and their two sons Zac and Éliam, aged 2 and 5 years.
Ballouz, 38, faces four counts; or unpremeditated murder of his spouse, premeditated murder of children and arson, on September 25, 2022.
“In making your decision, you must consider carefully and with an open mind all the evidence presented during the trial,” Judge Downs told the jury.
According to the Crown, the father stabbed his wife 23 times, then killed his two sons by suffocating them with a pillow. He cleaned the apartment and started a fire to burn the evidence. He finally attempted to take his own life by ingesting windshield washer fluid.
Remember that the accused chose to represent herself alone. She presented no defense and did not call any witnesses during the trial. However, she spoke directly to the jurors on Wednesday to convince them to acquit her. This exercise is usually done by the defense lawyer.
See also – Triple murder in Brossard: Ballouz tells his version of the facts to the jury
The judge warned jurors that they must base their decision on all of the evidence presented in the courtroom, without being influenced by “their opinions, biases, and prejudices.”
The magistrate also recalled that the jury must be convinced “beyond a reasonable doubt” of the guilt of the accused.
“Even if you believe that Mohamad Al Ballouz is probably guilty or likely guilty, that is not enough. In these circumstances, you must give Mohamad Al Ballouz the benefit of reasonable doubt and find him not guilty, because the prosecutor has failed to convince you of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The jurors have the duty to reach a unanimous verdict on each of the four counts.
The guidelines are expected to be completed late Saturday morning. The jury will then begin its deliberations.
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