Bellefeuille was on a 'rampage' when he fired at police, Crown concludes
Closing submission in murder trial have ended, judge to instruct jury Thursday
Prosecutors in the trial of Alain Bellefeuille wrapped up their arguments Wednesday by telling jurors there's "overwhelming evidence" to find him guilty of the murder of an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer and the attempted murder of two others two years ago.
Bellefeuille has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial, which is taking place in l'Orignal, Ont., began in March.
Crown attorney Louise Tansey stood in silence for 14 seconds before beginning her closing remarks Wednesday — the same length of time that passed between the moment Sgt. Eric Mueller and Const. Marc Lauzon entered Bellefeuille's rented home in Bourget, Ont., on May 11, 2023, and the moment the first shots rang out.
They were there to conduct a wellness check after a concerned neighbour of Bellefeuille's called in the early morning hours.
Mueller died. Lauzon and another officer were severely wounded.
'Devastating, calculated and precise'
Bellefeuille's lawyer said his client was asleep when he woke to what he thought was a home invasion. Earlier, Bellefeuille told the court he felt "fear" and "panic" and acted in self-defence when he fired his rifle at what he thought were intruders.
The defence said Bellefeuille was had "no beef" with police, and felt like he was in a "nightmare" when he realized he had shot officers.
But in the Crown's closing submissions, Tansey called Bellefeuille's actions that night "devastating, calculated and precise."
Tansey asked jurors to closely review the body-camera footage recovered from the officers and shown in court.
Bellefeuille fired four separate volleys using an illegally modified magazine. He also removed a body-worn camera from Mueller and later threw it into bushes.
The Crown argued those weren't the actions of someone acting in self-defence, but a "cold and calculated killing."
Crown describes a 'rampage'
Tansey said the officers were lawfully carrying out their duties, noting they'd knocked on Bellefeuille's door 64 times before entering.
"Officers tried 14 minutes to get a response from him," Tansey said, listing the steps the officers had taken before entering Bellefeuille's home: calling his phone, shining lights, banging on windows, knocking on doors and shouting his name.
"They were met with a hail of bullets," she said, describing Bellefeuille's response as a "rampage."
Prosecutors rejected Bellefeuille's claim that he'd been asleep when the officers came knocking, pointing out that he was wearing the same clothes he'd had on the previous day, had a half-smoked cigarette and a pillow propped up on his bed.
They also asked jurors to ignore Bellefeuille's claim that he lived in fear of intruders, noting his door was unlocked when the officers arrived. Rather, they accused him of firing on the officers with "not a hint of panic."
Jurors are expected to receive their instructions from the judge on Thursday, and will then begin their deliberations.