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Confessed killer Justin Riley Richardson introduced a knife right into a fistfight and his self-defense declare must be dismissed, a prosecutor mentioned Tuesday.
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However the Calgary man’s lawyer mentioned Choose Craig Jones ought to settle for Richardson’s testimony that he was afraid his shut pal was going to stab him throughout an altercation in a downtown house.
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“He mentioned ‘I feared for my life,'” protection legal professional Alain Hepner famous as he requested for an acquittal for Richardson.
However Crown prosecutor Samina Dhalla mentioned Richardson by no means advised police he believed Antonio Wallace-Murillo was going to kill him throughout a bodily battle on Aug. 31, 2021, on the house the place the shut pals used medication.
Dhalla mentioned on Richardson’s personal testimony in courtroom that the decide should discover that the killer was not justified in stabbing Wallace-Murillo as soon as within the leg.
The wound severed each the sufferer’s femoral artery and vein and he rapidly bled to demise.
‘The accused brings a knife to a fist battle’
The prosecution instructed Richardson’s actions have been deliberate and didn’t help a reasonableness of self-defense declare.
She noticed that Richardson stabbed the deceased after he was knocked to the ground throughout the argument.
“He acquired up in a short time, he turned and checked out Antonio and agreed that he didn’t see a knife in Antonio’s arms,” mentioned Dhalla.
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“He closed his eyes and he was swinging,” she mentioned.
“He will get up in a short time, he takes the knife (from his pocket), he sees Antonio and he stabs him.”
Dhalla mentioned Richardson solely escalated a consensual alternate between them.
“The accused brings a knife for a fist battle.”
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Protection says Richardson noticed Wallace-Murillo stab one other man six weeks earlier throughout a drug dispute
However Hepner argued the entire incident occurred rapidly and Richardson was reacting to a perceived risk to his life.
The defendant testified that he was rotated when he was knocked to the ground and didn’t have a look at Wallace-Murillo.
At that time, he mentioned, he was afraid his shut pal — who all the time saved a knife within the shoulder bag he carried that night time — was going to stab him.
Hepner mentioned his consumer’s conviction was supported by the truth that six weeks earlier Richardson had seen the deceased stab one other man throughout a drug dispute.
However Dhalla mentioned the details there are completely different and don’t contain a disagreement between two shut pals.
Richardson and Wallace-Murillo acquired into an argument that become a bodily altercation after the defendant refused to choose up a pack of cigarettes for the deceased whereas he was out making a fast drug sale.
Jones will rule on June 22.
Richardson stays free on bond pending a decision within the case.
KMartin@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @KMartinCourts
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