Defence urges jury to find Baker not guilty of murdering couple in closing arguments

The prosecution and defence presented closing arguments in the Janson Baker double murder trial.

The jury in Janson Baker’s double-murder trial began heard closing arguments from the defence and the Crown on Wednesday.

Defence attorney Brian Munro told the jury the end of the road was near, but they’ll be making one of the biggest decisions of their lives in the coming days.

“It’s going to stick with you,” Munro told the courtroom in Moncton.

He then thanked the jury members for their work, noting they’ve been part of a tension-filled environment where they had to listen to details and see graphic photos of a horrifying crime.

“This is a pressurized environment. It’s not a movie set. It’s not a TV show,” said Munro.

Munro said the couple was brutally murdered in an execution-style hit that the accused is not capable of.

“It takes a certain kind of evil monster to do this. Mr. Baker is not an evil monster,” said Munro.

Munro asked the jury to not give into the pressure of the trial and said the Crown hasn’t proven his client’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

He urged the jury to scrutinize the evidence.

“If you do that, you’ll find Janson Baker not guilty of both offences,” said Munro.

Baker is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of 78-year-old Bernard Saulnier and 74-year-old Rose-Marie Saulnier.

The Saulniers were both shot in the head inside their Dieppe, N.B., home on Sept. 7, 2019.

Baker took to the stand in his own defence last week and repeatedly said he did not murder the Saulniers.

“You have to have proof beyond a reasonable doubt. If you don’t have it, not guilty,” Munro told the jury.

Forensic evidence

Much of Munro’s summation revolved around the lack of forensic evidence against Baker.

“Where’s the proof? Where’s the proof that he was in that house that night?” asked Munro. “You won’t find it.”

Zack Trevors, a friend of Baker’s, previously testified that Baker drove him in a silver Hyundai Sonata to the Saulniers’ home during the morning of the murders.

During his testimony, Trevors said he saw Baker inside the Saulniers’ home and then, moments later, heard a scream and gunshots.

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Munro asked the jury where the blood splatter or DNA was inside the car after it was examined by police investigators.

“It’s not there,” said Munro.

Munro said there is zero evidence that puts Baker in the Hyundai at the time of the murders, except for Trevors’ testimony.

Crown evidence of photos of Baker wearing a gold chain and taken at 4:30 a.m. the morning of the murders was also brought up.

Court previously heard that a gold chain belonging to Bernard was stolen off his body.

Just because the photos were taken at 4:30 a.m. and his client looks stoned in them, it doesn’t mean he killed the Saulniers, Munro told the jury.

“That’s not enough. That’s not proof of anything,” he said.

Munro said police investigators worked the murder scene hard at the Saulniers’ home on Amirault Street, but there’s no proof Baker was ever in the house.

“There’s no physical evidence of any kind against Janson Baker in this case,” said Munro.

J-Trilogy

On Aug. 28, 2019, the RCMP conducted a series of raids at five properties across New Brunswick, mostly in the Moncton area.

A man named Jesse Logue was arrested as a result of the J-Trilogy operation and was charged with numerous weapons and drug offences.

Munro spoke about Logue, his girlfriend Monique Boyer, and other two other associates, Nick Bain and Chris Lennon.

All four names have come up frequently during the trial.

Court heard jailhouse recordings and was read Facebook messages between the four people discussing the drug busts.

Sylvio Saulnier, son of Bernard and Rose-Marie, owned a Moncton duplex that was raided as part of the J-Triology operation.

Logue and his associates believed Sylvio was a police informant and responsible for the raids.

“They were big-time players in the province of New Brunswick,” said Munro.

Munro noted they all have a history of violence.

“This group were prepared to kill,” he said. “These people don’t fool around.”

Baker had no connection to Logue, Lennon or Boyer, Munro said, but acknowledged he did know Bain.

Baker previously testified he sold drugs for Bain, but said their relationship was strictly business.

Crown witnesses

Munro told the jury they can believe some of the testimony they’ve heard over the past eight weeks, but not all of it.

“When it comes to Zack Trevors, reject all of it. It’s not believable,” said Munro.

Munro brought up some of Trevors’ violent past court had already heard and said Facebook messages between him and Nick Bain show the two knew each other better than Trevors had let on.

He asked the jury to scrutinize the “evidence with some caution,” especially when it comes to Trevors.

Munro brought up another witness who testified Baker told him he was responsible for the Saulniers’ murders.

The witness, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, was incarcerated at one time with Baker.

Munro said the witness was not credible, could not be trusted, and there were inaccuracies in his testimony.

“There’s all kinds of baggage with him,” said Munro.

No doubt Baker’s the killer: Crown

During the Crown’s closing argument, prosecutor Brad Burgess said there’s no doubt Baker is the killer.

“Janson Baker shot and killed Bernard and Rose-Marie after confining them in Rose-Marie’s bedroom,” said Burgess.

Burgess said Baker “shot them both in the head.”

The jury was once again shown grim crime scene photos of the Saulniers’ bodies, which showed a pool of blood around Bernard’s head.

Baker glanced at them momentarily from the prisoner’s dock.

Burgess then went over the details of what happened around 2 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2019, saying Baker and Burgess drove to the Saulniers’ home in the Hyundai Sonata.

The Crown prosecutor said Baker took out a knife and cut a screen window to gain access to the home.

“Imagine being there in the middle of the night seeing Mr. Baker,” said Burgess. “Imagine how terrifying that would have been.”

Burgess said Baker ordered the couple to the ground and Trevors ran back to the car.

Baker then backed the Saulniers into Rose-Marie’s bedroom, according to Burgess.

“There was nowhere for Bernard and Rose-Marie to go. They were cornered,” said Burgess. “And in a matter of seconds, this.”

A video of Rose-Marie’s bedroom was then played showing the couple’s bodies.

It’s the Crown’s position that Baker stole a gold chain and gold watch from Bernard’s body and searched the house for other items by looking through drawers.

Burgess said the pair then drove back to where both men were staying on Prescott Crescent and Baker warned Trevors if he went to police, “the same thing would happen to him.”

The photos Baker posed for at 4:31 a.m. came up again.

“When this was taken Bernard and Rose-Marie had been lying dead in Rose-Marie’s bedroom for about two hours,” said Burgess.

Burgess said Baker was wearing one of Bernard’s chains as a “trophy.”

When Baker took to the stand, Burgess said his denial of killing the Saulniers “is not believable” and questioned his alibi.

Baker testified that he went to a downtown club and then went back to 97 Prescott Cres. during the time of the murders.

Burgess wondered why he didn’t disclose his alibi until he testified in his own defence last week.

As far as the Crown’s key witnesses, Burgess said they can’t choose them, but that doesn’t mean the jury can’t believe them.

“Yes, scrutinize the evidence, but don’t abandon common sense,” said Burgess.

Burgess acknowledged there are some inconsistencies in the testimony between Trevors and the witness who can’t be named, but they’re from different perspectives.

“No, the details of their testimony don’t mirror each other perfectly,” said Burgess, but he added it would be odd if they did line up line up exactly.

Burgess also said the lack of forensic evidence against Baker doesn’t mean he didn’t commit the crimes.

Like Munro, Burgess thanked the jury for their participation in the trial.

“The time has come. You will soon retire to your jury room to focus on this case,” said Burgess.

On Thursday, Justice Cameron Gunn will give the jury their final instructions and then deliberations will begin.

Gunn warned the jury the instructions process could be “lengthy.”

Baker, wearing a grey jacket and tie, had several family members and supporters present in court on Wednesday, including his mother.

The other side of the courtroom was full of friends and family of Bernard and Rose-Marie Saulnier.

Most of them have been present on a daily basis since the trial began eight weeks ago on Jan. 6.

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