Kale Leonard Gabriel murder trial hears from first witness
5 weeks have been set aside for trial before a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge and jury
The first witness in a Halifax murder trial testified Tuesday he heard a loud bang and saw Ryan Matthew White slump to the ground during a struggle with his accused killer in July 2010.
Kale Leonard Gabriel is charged with second-degree murder in White's death and is on trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court before a judge and jury.
White, 21, was found dead on the pavement outside a building in the Mulgrave Park housing complex in Halifax's north end.
On Tuesday, Durrell Bundy testified he was at Gabriel's house with several other people the night White died. Bundy told the court that someone burst into the home, "looking like he'd seen a ghost," and said he was being followed by two men dressed all in black.
Bundy said he, Gabriel and others in the house went outside to investigate. They saw two figures on a landing on an outside staircase. Bundy said the area was known as "blaze up," a place where people gather to smoke.
Victim slumped to the ground
As they approached, Bundy testified he recognized one of the men as White. Bundy said White was seated and talking on his phone.
Bundy said Gabriel exchanged words with White, then kicked him in the head. White stood up and started wrestling with Gabriel.
The two men struggled for a few seconds before Bundy said there was a loud bang, he heard White moan, and saw him slump to the ground.
Bundy said he saw Gabriel holding a shiny silver handgun, which he shoved in his pocket as everyone turned and walked away. White died later in hospital.
Bundy admitted in court that when first approached by police, he lied and said he was nowhere near the shooting that night.
During cross-examination, the defence pointed to inconsistencies between Bundy's testimony at trial, and what he said in police statements and at a preliminary inquiry.