Accused in 1st-degree murder trial called 911 to report his whereabouts, court hears
CBC
A Sherwood Park funeral home owner called 911 and told the dispatcher where he was following an early morning shooting that killed a relative and injured his wife, court heard.
Gamdur Brar is on trial for the first-degree murder of his wife's 19-year-old nephew Harmanjot Bhattal, and the attempted murder of his wife Satvir Brar.
Gamdur Brar, 45, has pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Prosecutors have alleged that Satvir Brar fled her Strathcona County family home May 7, 2021 and enlisted her nephew, who lived in the basement suite, to help her get away.
In the Crown's opening statement, prosecutor Photini Papadatou told court that it's the prosecution's position that "something happened" in the Brar house that triggered the series of events that led up to the shooting.
Over the first few days of trial, prosecutors called witnesses who testified to seeing a car chase and shoot-out in the early hours of that day on Baseline Road in Sherwood Park.
Witnesses told court about seeing a man shoot another at close range and then chase a woman who was running away screaming.
In a voir dire – a trial within a trial – on Friday, Court of King's Bench Justice Steve Hillier ruled that a recording of a 911 call made by Gamdur Brar following the shooting was admissible.
Defence lawyer Brian Beresh had challenged the call being made an exhibit on the grounds that the call wasn't made voluntarily.
According to an agreed statement of facts entered earlier during the trial, the Brars co-owned Park Place Funeral Home in Sherwood Park.
In the recording, Gamdur Brar identifies himself.
"My name is Gamdur Brar, you guys probably ... like I know I was in the incident there in Clover Bar Road. So I am in the funeral home," he told the dispatcher, who asked how he knows about the incident.
"I don't want to say anything right now," he replied.
He also told the dispatcher he was unarmed, safe and by himself. He said he needed five minutes and then would be out.
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