A judge is expected to issue a decision in the first-degree murder trial of Joshua Petrin early next month.
Closing arguments in the case were heard in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench Wednesday, and a judge is now tasked with sorting through Crown and defence arguments to reach a verdict.
Petrin is charged in the Sept. 12, 2012 shooting death of 34-year-old Lorry Ann Santos, a mother who was shot and killed inside her home in Saskatoon’s Westview neighbourhood. Police said she was gunned down by members of an Alberta gang called the White Boy Posse, who targeted the wrong house.
The Crown repeated Wednesday what they’ve said throughout the trial: that Santos was the victim of a gang hit gone wrong and that the two people who committed the act were under the orders of Petrin.
Prosecutors argued the intended target was a former member of the White Boy Posse who betrayed Petrin by leaving the gang. The killers ended up at the wrong house — and killing Santos — through a series of miscommunications.
The fact the hit was botched is irrelevant. The hit was ordered by Petrin and still resulted in a loss of life, according to the Crown.
Petrin’s lawyer defended his client by calling out what he says were inconsistencies in witness testimony and by questioning why Petrin, a careful and paranoid person, would let gang members use his girlfriend’s personal car to commit a crime.
The lawyer also brought up the issue of payment being made to one of the Crown witnesses in exchange for testimony. The payment may have biased the witness, he said.
Police also used heavy-handed tactics to coerce a witness, according to Petrin’s defence lawyer.
The judge is expected to issue a written decision Nov. 3.
