The Crown rested its case against Liam Stinson April 18, closing their evidence submissions in the arson triple homicide trial ongoing since March 18.
Testimony was brief again, as the jury was dismissed until Tuesday so that counsel, Crown attorneys Kaely Whillans and defence attorneys Joseph Wilkinson and Liam Thompson, and Superior Court Justice R. Dan Cornell, could discuss legal matters pertaining to the case.
The details of these matters are covered under the voir-dire publication ban, which means anything that is discussed outside the presence of the jury can’t be published until after the trial is over.
Sudbury.com will have full coverage of these details as soon as it is possible to do so.
Stinson is on trial for his alleged role in the 2021 fatal fire that killed three people — Guy “Popcorn” Henri, Jasmine Somers and Jamie-Lynn Rose — for which he is charged with first-degree murder.
Stinson is also charged with arson causing bodily harm to David Cheff, whose Bruce Avenue residence was the site of the fire. Cheff was severely injured jumping through a second-story window to escape the fire.
The last witness to testify for the Crown was GSPS Det-Cst. Marc Belanger. He was asked about text messages between Stinson and Henri, one of arson’s victims.
In these messages, Stinson alleges that his estranged partner, Rose, who was a victim of the fatal fire, bought drugs from him in order to pass them on to Henri, another fire victim,
Rose had recently left Stinson’s home, moving into Cheff’s townhouse. Court has heard Stinson was upset that Rose moved out and wanted her to return to his home.
Belanger was also asked about an April 4, 2021 text conversation between Stinson and Cheff, wherein Stinson complained to Cheff that Rose “had stolen his steaks (street slang for high-quality drugs) as well as his buddy’s.”
So far the Crown has presented witnesses ranging from first responders and post-mortem examiners to investigating officers and family members of the victims of the fatal fire at the centre of the trial.
The jury has also heard from the two witnesses who testified they started the fire at the request of Stinson, but they also testified they had no idea that anyone was home.
Testimony from Christine Wright, mother of Jamie-Lynn Rose, spoke to a tumultuous relationship between Rose and Stinson.
The mother of Stinson’s children, also testified she saw Stinson the day after the fatal April 11, 2021.
“He seemed edgy perhaps, a little unaware, just off,” Walsh testified. “Like his mind was focused on anything but his surroundings. I don’t think he was even aware I was there.”
Walsh said Stinson told her he sent “some people to do something,” and that “his girl may have got hurt in the process.”
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com.
