At the arson triple homicide case against Liam Stinson on April 8, lawyers representing Sudbury media outlets were in court to argue a publication ban imposed on the identity and testimony of two witnesses was too broad and prevented news coverage of important parts of the trial.
As the trial progressed over the past couple weeks, Crown attorneys Alayna Jay and Kaely Whillans highlighted reporting by two local media outlets which they believed violated the publication ban. In one instance, Justice R. Dan Cornell made an order that resulted in one media outlet having to unpublish their article.
Lawyers Iain MacDonald and Justin Safayeni who represented CBC and CTV on behalf of several Sudbury news media outlets sought clarity on the publication ban that has been in place for three witnesses since the start of trial.
The submissions were successful and while the previous publication ban made reporting prohibitive, Sudbury.com can now report on witness testimony so long as it does not reveal the name or identifying information on the witnesses.
Previous testimony that can now be reported
Witness 1 testified April 4 and was cross examined on April 5, while Witness 2 faced Crown questions April 5, but isn’t being questioned by the defence until today, April 9.
Both witnesses described themselves as intoxicated the night of the fire, April 11, 2021. Witness 2 testified he saw Stinson smoking crack-cocaine and that Stinson was “agitated, paranoid” and “aggressive.”
Witness 1 testified they were at a party at Stinson's home when Witness 2 arrived, bringing two Gatorade bottles filled with gasoline. One at a time, each of two bottles was brought inside and prepped as a Molotov cocktail, a firebomb to be used to set the residence on fire.
Witness 2 testified Stinson requested they start the fire.
“He wanted to send a message, so he (Stinson) said go start a fire at Dave Cheff’s residence,” testified Witness 2.
Witness 1 testified he asked Stinson if anyone was home at the residence where the fire was to be set. Witness 1 testified Stinson showed a text, which Witness 1 believed to be from Jamie-Lynn Rose, Stinsons's ex-partner, stating she and the other residents of the home were in Timmins at the time.
One of the residents who survived the fire, David Cheff, testified March 20 that the plans to leave for Timmins had been cancelled a week previous, and that he expected Stinson would know that, but couldn’t confirm.
Witness 1 testified they agreed to accompany Witness 2 in order to show Witness 2 the location of the intended target, Cheff’s residence.
The two walked there from Stinson’s, said Witness 1, and testified that when the two arrived, they looked in the windows, but could see little as the interior was unlit.
Witness 1 testified he then knocked on the front door, but there was no answer.
Witness 1 testified both went to check the back door, and found it unlocked. Witness 1 said they stepped into the home, “a few steps” and testified that upon turning back around, Witness 2 threw one lit gatorade bottle of gasoline into the home, and left the other, unlit, just inside the door.
Witness 1 testified that Witness 2 immediately ran away, and Witness 1 followed.
Witness 1 testified they called Stinson from the trail that runs along the apartment complex at 744 Bruce Avenue, but did not speak to Stinson. Witness 1 testified to leaving Witness 2 and walking home after, though it took almost two hours. Witness 2 has yet to testify to their actions after the fire.
Witness testimony is poised to continue April 9 at 10 a.m. barring any other legal matters.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com.
