Brothers testify sisters accused of killing mother suffered years of abuse

Two brothers of two women on trial for killing their 88-year-old mother testified this week that their sisters were longtime victims of verbal and physical abuse, and likely acted in self-defence.

Chau Lam, 59, and Hue Lam, 62, have each pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of their mother, Kieu Lam. The jury trial began earlier this month in the Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa.

On Monday, their 64-year-old brother, Chanh Hyunh, testified he was well aware of the difficult situation his sisters were in, living alone with their mother decades after the family came to Canada from Vietnam.

"I strongly felt they should not be living together," he told the court, recounting a failed attempt to place their mother in a nursing home. "Things were getting too serious."

• 'Control, violence and cruelty': Sisters killed mother to end decades-long abuse, defence argues
• 'Many years. Many beatings': Sisters confess to killing mother in videos played at trial

Hyunh told the jury he had heard his mother verbally abuse his sisters, and repeated what he had previously told police after her death — that their mother was "the evil one."

The defence argues the sisters were afraid for their safety after years of alleged abuse. During his testimony, Hyunh read aloud what was described in court as a suicide note written by Hue Lam to her sister after their mother's death.

"Little sister, thank you for taking care of me and I wish we would be sisters again. I'm leaving now.… I'm sorry I have to leave you but I have no choice," the note read, as translated by Hyunh.

'I definitely would have stopped it'

Under cross-examination, Hyunh called a Crown question about his time in a refugee camp "bullshit." He later apologized to the court, explaining he was under stress.

He told the jury he did not know his sisters planned to kill their mother. "Had I known, I definitely would have stopped it," he said.

The Crown pointed out that Hyunh had advised his sisters to leave the home. He admitted he had seen their mother physically assault them only once in 30 years and had not witnessed verbal abuse beyond what he described as "nagging."

On Tuesday, another brother, Minh Hyunh, offered further details of life inside the family home.

The older brother told the court that after he moved out, bringing his mother with him to his new home wasn't an option due to her behaviour, and because his wife was not comfortable with her moving in.

He testified their mother had maintained control over the sisters when they lived in Vietnam and that she used violence, including hitting them with objects. The behaviour continued after the family moved to Canada, according to the brothers.

Mother 'didn't change' after arrival in Canada

Minh Hyunh said he lived with his mother and sisters for about a decade starting in 1992. Though he worked outside the home, he said he witnessed frequent outbursts from his mother including screaming and scolding over small matters.

He said their mother would belittle them for not being married and often became angry without warning.

"She didn't change when she came to Canada," he said, describing how the sisters did all the chores and cared for their mother, who did not speak English.

He told police he believed his sisters were "very scared" of their mother and said she "liked to be in control of everything." He described feeling "stiff," "weakened" and "paralyzed" around her, and said the entire family "suffered" from her behaviour.

He recalled an incident about a month before her death when he rushed over after getting a call from the sisters and found one of them restraining the mother from hitting them. 

Earlier in the trial, the jury saw video interviews recorded with both sisters hours after their mother's death. In the interviews, conducted at Ottawa police headquarters on Oct. 31, 2022, the sisters admitted to killing their mother as she slept. One of the sisters also told a 911 dispatcher and responding police officers what they had done.

The sisters told investigators they were "so angry" after years of emotional and physical abuse.

The only significant difference in the sisters' statements to police was about their remaining family: When asked if they had any, Chau Lam said no.

Chau and Hue Lam speak Vietnamese and are participating in the trial with the help of live translation. Chau Lam is expected to testify later this week.