Jury charged to bring back verdicts in four-month-long Windsor murder trial

Jury deliberates in murder trial The jury has been charged to find a verdict in the trial of three Kitchener men accused of first-degree murder. Rich Garton reports.

The jury in a Windsor murder trial that began in February over an incident that happened more than three years ago is finally being charged to come back with a verdict.

Kyle Hanna, Tameko Vilneus and Keermaro Rolle are accused in the April 1, 2020 south Windsor shooting death of 20-year-old Madisen Gingras and the attempted murder of her boyfriend, Jacob Reaume.

After four gruelling months of witness testimony, expert opinion and more than 200 exhibits of evidence, the fate of the three accused men is now in the hands of the jury.

In court Tuesday, Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia spent the bulk of the day reading instructions to the jury, detailing page upon page of evidence in the case from experts to DNA evidence, as well as two key but diverging witness testimonies from Reaume and Vilneus.

Justice Carroccia detailed to the jury exactly what she was about to send them away to do: find a verdict for each of the accused.

All three men are standing trial together but Justice Carroccia reminded the jury their verdicts do not need to be the same.

Each person charged is entitled to be treated separately on each charge and have their case decided on the evidence and the burden of proof is on the crown to prove anyone’s guilt.

”You must be satisfied of their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” Justice Carroccia told the jury. “In considering all the evidence, use your good common sense.”

On the charge of first-degree murder, the jury has options to find any or all of the accused parties guilty of either first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter or not guilty.

On the charge of attempted murder, the jury must choose between guilty or not-guilty.

“Keep an open mind but not an empty head,” Justice Carroccia instructed the jury on the best way to find a verdict. “Listen in a calm and impartial manner about what your fellow jurors have to say.”

The jury of 12 will now be sequestered until they reach a verdict for each of the accused.