This trial started November 24, 2003 and is ongoing.

April 6, 2004
by
guest writer Brady

I show up at about 9:26, proud that I will not be walking in late disrupting the courtroom. However, I am late and as my luck would go the temporary courtroom is about an eighth the size of the other one. I make my grand entrance and quickly slide to the far end closest to the jury. I don't believe that there is enough coffee in the world for me. The room is dark and on the video screen SB is counting money. There are two men, Shinkaruk who we can see, and Haslett, who will remain off screen for the entirety of the video. I'm wondering if this is purposeful so as not to compromise his undercover status. Sounds logical… Ok, I'll buy it. Shinkaruk or Haslett, -- it's hard to tell who is talking because Shinkaruk and Haslett sound alike (like Canadian redneck gangsters) and Haslett is always off screen - offers Sebastian a beer. There is some discussion about the amount of beer left and possibly wine. In the end though a fine beer stash is found and they continue counting. Shinkaruk is sitting next to SB asking him about hair. Apparently SB had been had been out all night trying to relieve someone, anyone, out of a lock of hair. He had been to movie theaters, salons. I think he even bribed a street kid. I'm not quite sure due to the audio quality. He is seems quite animated and jovial if not a little stiff and nervous. It is hard to see him in this hotel room with these cops posing as criminals. He is still a kid in this video. I have a hard time recognizing the man who sits in front of me. He is laughing about being haunted by salons and longhaired people on every street. I'm more than a little confused but understand when one of the cops brings up the fake police report that supposedly has SB's hair found in the house. His hair-quest story is quite lengthy and pretty amusing.

At this point Song stops the tape and asks an inspector from the RCMP, that I had not realized was on the stand, about the detailed description of finding and cutting hair. She wanted to know if he thought it was indeed a detailed description. He said it was. She was wondering if it seemed strange to the inspector that he would confess to killing someone and yet go into greater detail about hunting the streets of Vancouver for other people's hair. He seems to be a bumbling and sort and is reluctant to answer. No mind, point proven. Yet, I can't help think that maybe it would be easier to describe something like the hair thing, seeming so much more mundane than, say, a triple homicide. But I see what she is getting at and I agree.

Video on. Haslett is asking about police report and a fingerprint found on a box. SB doesn't recall and thinks that it is nothing to worry about. Shinkaruk leaves to go pick up AR at the motel. There is a lengthy discussion on computers. The subject of the movie is brought up and SB seems the most comfortable now. He seems to have relaxed and is discussing his and AR's plans for the future.

Throughout this second section of video, high school students have been filing in and out. The place is packed.

Break is called at 10:30 and I remember to rise. Go Me. I am approached by a student. She asks me if I know what's going on. I start to tell her what I know and realize that all eyes are now focused on me. It's kinda creepy. They have no idea that they are watching a murder trail. It feels uncomfortable describing a triple homicide to these kids.

At 11:00 court resumes and Shinkaruk comes back with AR. They offer him a beer. I must say that at least the Canadians get you drunk before they arrest you. Thanks boys, one for the road?

With AR in the room much confusion is cleared up. Haslett is going to get the two out of trouble, or so goes the ruse. He needs SB's hair to switch out for the hair that supposedly is evidence in the fake report. There will be a fire! Much evidence will be lost! SB and AR will go free! The weird thing is I feel detached from this as though it were not real. These two kids are just characters in a movie that I am watching. I want to yell out "Don't do it! They're cops!" This however would be a bad way to find my way back to reality.

Haslett is explaining to AR that during this time, before said fire, SB and AR will be working for him doing some sort of computer work. Haslett keeps going on about trust and how trust is the biggest thing in his life blah blah blah. I see what he's getting at and soon the questions turn to AR's knowledge of the crime scene. Bam! And here we go. He gets AR and SB talking about the murder. AR only watched one. He couldn't watch the other two. SB speaks candidly about AR's sister and how she was the hardest. Apparently she just wouldn't die. She got up and was walking around. SB said that she was the one he "had to put his back into". The two are speaking as if they are reciting a police report: "The Sister", "The Mother", as if they never knew these people. Maybe they've detached themselves so far at this point. They begin to discuss the choice of murder weapon. Haslett wonders why not use a .22 pistol. SB and AR laugh and ask could Haslett have got them one.

Haslett wants to know about Jimmy. AR says, "Jimmy knows what happened and that we did it and stuff."

After that, the discussion dies down. Plans are made to destroy the evidence, buy a computer, and to put the two to work. They start talking about Cornell, frats and college in general. The video ends with very little fan fare and court breaks for lunch.

I have to go to work.