SASKATOON -- The Crown prosecutor slammed a Bible in front of Cory Smockum on Thursday morning.
Her voice raised, she reminded Smockum he made an oath to tell the truth, then began her cross-examination at Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench.
For about four hours Carla Dewar grilled Smockum about what he said on the stand in his own trial.
Smockum, 38, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault and choking in connection to an incident involving Adrienne Lennie on Oct. 13, 2018.
Both Smockum and Lennie said they went to the Hanley bar that evening and both testified they ended up alone at a garage.
Court heard the garage belonged to a man they just met at the bar and heard two different stories about what happened inside.
Lennie, 30, said Smockum got on top of her, continuously punched her in the face and choked her unconscious three times.
She testified Smockum threatened to kill her, and even told her parents in a phone call that their daughter was going to die.
Smockum made her perform oral sex, and forced her to pull her pants down for anal sex, she said.
Smockum, on the stand, denied the two had any sexual interactions in the garage.
He said he did speak to Lennie’s parents that night, but never made death threats.
Smockum said Lennie instigated the attack, that she swung a hammer at his stomach, breaking his ribs.
He said he punched her face out of self defence. Smockum said when she came at him again, he “choke-slammed” her to the ground.
Dewar questioned why Smockum would use a choke-slam for self-defence.
Medical records show Smockum is at least 80 pounds heavier than Lennie.
“You didn’t take any other steps to get her away from you, with less violence?” Dewar asked Smockum.
“No,” Smockum responded. He told court he feared for his life when Lennie swung the hammer at him
“It was fight-or-flight ... The only thing I did was defend myself ... What if I were to die?”
Jury gets closer look at medical records
Smockum said he only put his hands around Lennie during the choke-slam, and he “never” choked her out of consciousness.
Dewar questioned whether Lennie’s neck injuries could have been caused by just a choke-slam. Earlier in the trial, court heard Lennie was treated for a brain bleed, broken ribs and stitches.
Medical records show Smockum was “uncooperative” with medical staff who tried to strap the accused to a hospital bed.
Smockum said it was because he was in pain from his ribs.
Smockum told doctors he wasn’t on drugs or drank alcohol that evening, court heard.
However in his testimony on Wednesday, Smockum said he was intoxicated. Dewar drew attention to the discrepancy.
The Crown questioned Smockum on why he didn’t tell doctors or police that evening about the alleged hammer attack.
Smockum said he was waiting until he had a lawyer to tell his story, and that it’s his right to remain silent.
All the evidence and witnesses in the trial have been presented to the 12 people in the jury.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday morning and jury deliberations will follow.
The judge told the jury to “bring suitcases” on Friday, in case deliberations continue extend to the weekend.
