Lethal struggle was over a pack of cigarettes, manslaughter trial instructed

Article content material

Manslaughter suspect Justin Riley Richardson received right into a lethal argument along with his alleged sufferer for failing to buy a pack of cigarettes for him, court docket heard Tuesday.

Article content material

Nicholas Newman, whose downtown condominium the 2 males had been crashing in on the time, mentioned the accused and deceased started to argue the night of Aug. 31, 2021, after Richardson returned from a stroll with out cigarettes.

Article content material

“What had been they arguing about?” Crown prosecutor Samina Dhalla requested.

“Like a pack of smokes, or one thing,” Newman mentioned.

Richardson is charged with manslaughter within the demise of Antonio Wallace-Murillo, who was stabbed as soon as within the leg earlier than bleeding to demise within the 5 Ave. S.W. condominium.

Newman mentioned the 2 males, himself and one other buddy, Lukas North Peigan Dickson, had been hanging out that night time and getting alongside.

He mentioned North Peigan Dickson, Richardson and he had been smoking methamphetamine whereas Wallace-Murillo was consuming marijuana.

Below cross-examination, defence counsel Alain Hepner delved deeper into the reason for the argument between the 2 which led to Wallace-Murillo being stabbed.

“Isn’t what occurred is Justin went out for a bit, only for a stroll and Antonio requested Justin to get him some smokes?” Hepner requested.

“I feel so, yeah,” Newman mentioned.

Article content material

“However when Justin got here again he didn’t cease to get smokes?”

“I feel so,” the witness repeated.

Newman acknowledged smoking methamphetamine makes you paranoid, however didn’t recall Richardson, then 18, saying he was afraid to go to the shop as a result of there have been different folks there.

However he agreed the 2 males argued in his lounge whereas he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

“At one level Antonio was going to go away and Justin mentioned one thing?” Hepner instructed.

“I feel so, yeah,” Newman mentioned.

He mentioned the deceased was nearly to the door of the condominium earlier than Richardson’s remark made him return, however he didn’t see the precise stabbing.

“As he’s leaving, Justin says one thing and Antonio instantly makes a U-turn and comes in direction of Justin,” Hepner mentioned.

“Yeah.”

Newman mentioned he heard a big crash earlier than returning to the lounge the place he noticed Wallace-Murillo bleeding.

In a short opening assertion to Courtroom of King’s Bench Justice Craig Jones, Dhalla mentioned the case isn’t about who stabbed the deceased, however why.

She mentioned the proof will set up Richardson inflicted the deadly blow to Wallace-Murillo, 19.

“The Crown expects that after listening to all of the proof the court docket will be capable to discover the accused responsible of manslaughter,” Dhalla mentioned.

[email protected]

On Twitter: @KMartinCourts