The jury in the trial of Andrei Donet, charged with the murder of 16-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, is currently deliberating towards a verdict and had four questions for the presiding judge on Saturday. Donet, 21, is accused of being an accomplice in the homicide, which took place minutes after the victim left his school in Côte-des-Neiges on October 18, 2021.
Three of the four questions posed by the jury focused on the intention and its relevance to a murder conviction. One question specifically asked about the role of hatred in relation to intention in a murder case. The judge clarified that motive is not an essential element that the Crown needs to prove, but rather a reason behind someone’s actions.
The prosecution’s theory in the case is that a rivalry between two groups was the motive behind the homicide. The jury also questioned whether the accused’s potential intoxication at the time of the crime should be considered, to which the judge responded that there was no evidence of intoxication presented during the trial.
Additionally, a question regarding video footage from a surveillance camera outside the school left the jury confused about identifying the victim. The judge reminded the jury that they have the option to review the witness’s testimony recording.
The jury’s deliberations suggest a debate between second-degree murder and manslaughter charges for Donet. The judge is set to address the fourth question on Sunday morning as the trial nears its conclusion.