deadmonton 2005 - nina louise courtepatte - the "cindy" trial
April 10th, 2007

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Nina Louise Courtepatte, 13, died from blunt force trauma on April 3rd, 2005.


Two adults and three teens, not identified by provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault.


Verdicts in the trial of Michael Erin Briscoe and Joseph Wesley Laboucan were announced on March 23rd, 2007. Laboucan was found guilty of first-degree murder while Briscoe was acquitted on all charges.


One male teen, nicknamed "Pyro," pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on December 8th, 2006. He was to be sentenced as an adult in April 2007. Pyro's girlfriend, nicknamed "Buffy," had a trial date set for May 1st, 2007.


<< march 26th, 2007 | the "cindy" trial



The last day of the trial was highlighted by a ruling Justice June Ross gave regarding the admissibility of statements Cindy made to her parents and social worker.


Edmonton Law Courts Building

The admissions were part of a voir dire – a trial within a trial – held earlier to determine if details revealed to her adoptive parents and Brenda Haggart, a Child and Family Services worker, could be accepted as evidence presented by the Crown.


The statements, made on separate occasions while Cindy was held at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre, indicated that she hit Nina in the back of the head with a wrench on the golf course, and then held Nina down while she was raped.


Cindy also told her parents and Haggart that she knew of her friends' plan to kill someone the night before Nina was chosen at West Edmonton Mall as their victim.


The ruling concluded the Crown's case against the teen.


Cindy's defence lawyer didn't call any witnesses, causing the trial to proceed to the presentation of final arguments.


Justice Ross set aside April 23rd and 24th, 2007 to hear Crown and defence lawyers present their case.


A verdict would follow, and if Cindy is found guilty, sentencing arguments would be heard followed by the judge's sentencing decision.



The trial continues.