Going through practically one by one each of the statements that the victim made on several occasions to the police in the days following the attack of which he was the victim, the Defense raised contradictions, on the 2and day of Nicola Spagnolo’s trial.
Posted at 1:32 p.m.
Spagnolo, 47, an individual linked to the Sicilian faction of the Montreal mafia according to the police, has been on trial in Montreal since Tuesday in front of a judge alone for aggravated assault.
On the night of August 1 to 2, 2020, near the Boho bar on rue Saint-Paul, in Old Montreal, he allegedly stabbed a client of the establishment in the ribs, following an argument.
On Tuesday, this customer, a 29-year-old man whose identity must be withheld, said he went outside to smoke shortly before the bar closed and started chatting with a couple who were talking, leaning on a wall.
If the conversation was cordial at first, it degenerated when the young man started talking with the woman. According to her version, the man told her to “shut up”, then the tone rose. The two insulted each other until the man stabbed him in the left flank.
The victim tried to return to the bar, in vain, and ran to rue Notre-Dame where a couple rescued him.
The young man said he was intoxicated at the time of the tragedy and was ready to come to blows, like his attacker, he believes.
False memories
The identification of the aggressor is at the heart of the trial which must last a few days.
The victim made a description of it on Tuesday, in addition to telling the story of the events.
Spagnolo’s lawyer, M.and Danièle Roy, confronted the victim with several statements she made several times to the police in the days and weeks following the crime.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Nicola Spagnolo’s lawyer, Mr.and Daniele Roy.
She pointed out in particular that the victim describes his attacker as having “shaved in spikes” hair and that he was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt.
She also noted that at times the young man said that his friends were still in the bar at the time of the events and at other times that they had left. Sometimes he said he crossed Saint-François-Xavier Street and sometimes he didn’t. He also stated that he no longer remembers how far from the bar the attack took place.
“To know the truth, one must refer to you or to your friends? asked the criminal lawyer, provoking the intervention of Judge Yves Paradis of the Court of Quebec.
“Your memories don’t seem very clear, sir. Am I wrong ? “, she also launched later, referring to the fact that the victim may have “false memories”.
The victim testified by videoconference. She is currently in Asia for work and she began to be cross-examined at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, when it was 11 p.m. for her. His cross-examination was not over as of this writing in the early afternoon.
The Pursuit is represented by Mr.and Matthew Ferguson.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.