Inspired by crime show he watched in jail, Greg Fertuck claims RCMP officer lied on stand

Fertuck trial WATCH: Accused murder was shut down by Sask. judge after trying crime-show-inspired defence.

A man on trial in Saskatoon for murder is claiming a Crown witness lied on the stand.

Greg Fertuck is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife, Sheree Fertuck. She was last seen in 2015. Her body has never been found.

At Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday, Fertuck, now representing himself, said he watched a crime show while in jail.

In the show, Fertuck said a judge dismissed evidence because of fabricated testimony.

Fertuck told court he believes a similar situation has happened in his case. He claimed an RCMP officer lied on the stand.

Fertuck alleged the officer’s testimony during the murder trial, differed from something the officer said in a separate proceeding at Saskatoon Provincial Court.

Fertuck wanted to enter the officer’s recording from provincial court as evidence. In the application, Fertuck also wanted to submit bank records regarding his ex-girlfriend’s power of attorney.

Justice Richard Danyliuk dismissed the application, calling it irrelevant.

“Let me say this respectfully, the application is ill-conceived,” Danyliuk said.

“You can’t come to the courthouse, throw a bunch of sticks on the steps and expect the court to build you a fire.”

Fertuck’s trial is about to enter its third year.

Danyliuk is scheduled to make a decision on the voir dire — an admissibility hearing to determine if evidence can be used in a trial.

The evidence at the centre of the voir dire is an audio recording Fertuck made to an undercover officer, he thought was his friend.

“It is a strange trial where there have been four separate applications to open up the voir dire,” Danyliuk said.

Fertuck was the target of a “Mr. Big” sting — where undercover officers pose as criminals and befriend a suspect, hoping to draw out a confession.

The voir dire decision is scheduled for Sept. 22.