Byward Market Murder Relies Heavily on Videotape: The Crown

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The Ottawa murder trial began on Tuesday, with a videotape showing a man being stabbed to death outside the Shepherds of Good Hope on Halloween night.

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In a nighttime video played for the jury, a man in a coat can be seen lunging at Austin Simon and violently swinging his arms around.

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“This is why you’re here today. ‘I just saw the end of Austin Simon’s life.'”

At 10:24 pm on October 31, 2019, Simon, a 39-year-old carpenter and father of two children, had just been stabbed three times in the neck and chest by Ignaz Kailanga, she said.

Kailanga, 36, admitted to stabbing Simon to death, but pleaded not guilty to the premeditated and intentional first-degree murder.

An accomplice, Brandon Longo, 27, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges. He is accused of buying a knife for Kailanga at a downtown grocery store that was used to murder Simon minutes later.

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At the start of the trial, which is scheduled to last four weeks, Rudnick told jurors that the royal family will rely heavily on the 26-minute videotape.

Rudnick said the entire incident was videotaped outside the Shepherds of Good Hope.

ByWard Market’s surveillance cameras also captured the movements of the victim and the two suspects before and after the stabbing, she said.

According to Rudnick, the video shows Longo arriving in a taxi in front of the Salvation Army shelter on George Street, where he met Kairanga, Simon, and another man, Daniel Simpson.

She said the video would show Simon, Kairanga and Longo walking east down George Street. Kairanga approaches Simon as he approaches Cumberland Street, at which point Simon punches him and knocks him to the ground.

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Kailanga won’t retaliate, she said, but will stand up and continue walking east to join Longo.

Meanwhile, Simon walks north toward Murray Street and the Shepherd of Good Hope.

Video surveillance later caught Kailanga and Longo walking to a nearby Metro grocery store, where Rudnick said Longo planned to buy a Good Cook brand knife.

About eight minutes later, the two men exited the Metro parking lot and returned to Shepherds of Good Hope, where they met Simon and Simpson again.

The four men approach each other with Kailanga across from Simpson, but Longo crosses in front to greet Simpson first.

Rudnick said he put his right hand back in his pocket after Kailanga’s fist hit Simon. Simon then puts his hand on Kailanga’s shoulder and turns his head.

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“Mr. Kairanga took his right hand out of his right pocket and hit Mr. Simon in the neck and chest three times when Simon turned his head,” Rudnick said.

Simon, holding his neck, stumbles inside the Shepherds of Good Hope, walks to the reception area of ​​the shelter, and collapses down the stairs. He was later confirmed dead at the hospital.

Police recovered a broken knife blade from a Good Cook brand kitchen knife at the scene.

Rudnick said pathologists will testify that Simon died of significant blood loss due to severed arteries in his neck.

She told the jury that questions about intent, knowledge and planning will be important in the trial.Did Kairanga intend to kill Simon? Was it on purpose? Was it part of the plan?

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“Throughout this trial, think about Mr. Kailanga’s intentions when he killed Mr. Simon. Think about his actions, the consequences of his actions, and what he knew at the time.”

At the end of the trial, the royal family asked the jury to confirm that Simon’s death was the result of a premeditated and intentional murder, and that Longo provided Kailanga with the weapon and the opportunity to commit the crime. I ask.

The trial continues Wednesday.