SASKATOON -- A set of journals written by a man on trial for his spouse's fatal stabbing were questioned by the Crown prosecutor during Blake Schreiner’s cross-examination on Monday.
In one of the journals, titled "NCR" (not criminally responsible), Schreiner writes about killing his spouse, Tammy Brown.
Brown was found dead, with about 80 stab wounds, in the couple’s River Heights home on January 29, 2019.
Schreiner has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in her death.
In the journal, Schreiner wrote he was under the influence of psilocybin, known as magic mushrooms, while stabbing Brown.
It marked the first time court heard Schreiner was high during the stabbing — appearing to contradict his own testimony on the stand.
Schreiner said he lied in that journal, but corrected the story — to reflect he was sober — in another journal.
Schreiner, now 39, previously said he was sober the day of Brown’s death and last used psilocybin mushrooms in November 2018.
But on Monday, the Crown referenced Schreiner’s journals that said he took psilocybin at around 2:30 a.m. on the day of Brown’s death.
Schreiner wrote that the magic mushrooms wore off at around 5:30 a.m., just after stabbing Brown.
The journals were written while he was in custody, about six months after Brown's killing.
Last week, Schreiner testified he heard voices in his head the night of Brown’s death. Schreiner said he believed Brown was plotting to kill him.
Crown Prosecutor Melodi Kujawa questioned why Schreiner didn’t tell police or psychiatrists about voices telling him Brown was trying to kill him.
Schreiner agreed “things weren’t going well” in his relationship with Brown leading up to her death.
Schreiner was unemployed and Brown was working long hours teaching at Sask. Polytechnic.
On the stand, during the cross-examination, Schreiner took long pauses before answering Kujawa’s questions.
At one point, Schreiner said he “blacked out” and needed the Crown to re-ask a question.
Earlier in the trial, a different set of journals — which Schreiner used to document his psilocybin hallucinations — were entered as evidence.
Justice Ronald Mills is presiding over the trial. It is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
