'I went there so that Marois would not be able to make her speech,' Richard Bain trial hears
In recording posted to Facebook, accused says he regrets tragedy and never meant to hurt anyone
In a recording uploaded to Facebook, Richard Bain admitted he went to the Metropolis to stop then-premier-designate Pauline Marois from delivering her speech, the murder trial heard.
- CBC's complete coverage of the Richard Bain murder trial
- RECAP: What we know so far about Quebec's deadly election-night shooting
The prosecution submitted an audio recording in court on Tuesday, telling the jury that it was posted to Bain's Facebook page on April 12, 2013.
It's not clear how the recording was posted to Bain's Facebook, given that the accused was being held in detention at the time.
"Hi, my name is Richard Henry Bain," the recording begins.
"I wish to say truthfully that I went to the Metropolis on September 4, 2012. I went there so that Marois would not be able to make her speech or to have her celebration party."
Montreal should separate from Quebec, Bain says
Bain is accused of the first-degree murder of lighting technician Denis Blanchette, who was shot and killed outside the Metropolis concert hall on the night of Sept. 4, 2012, while then-premier-designate Pauline Marois delivered her victory speech inside.
I didn't go there to hurt anyone.- Recording on Richard Henry Bain's Facebook
Later in the recording, Bain says he went to the Metropolis to "bring forth the vision" that Montreal should hold a referendum to separate from Quebec and become its own bilingual province.
He also says he regrets that people were harmed.
"I didn't go there to hurt anyone. But we all know that for some people and families, and even my own family and friends, it ended in a tragedy. This I deeply regret," he says in the recording.
Quebec provincial police Sgt. Christian Dumas testified that he downloaded the recordings from Facebook, using an undercover profile.
In his cross-examination, defence lawyer Alan Guttman questioned Dumas about whether the account could have been hacked.
He suggested that Bain may not have been the one to upload the recording to Facebook.
Shooting was politically motivated, Crown contends
Jurors at the trial of Richard Bain began their day Tuesday by listening to more of the two-hour CBC Radio special of the 2012 provincial election which the Crown contends Bain was listening to in the lead-up to the fatal shooting.
Earlier in the trial, in his opening statement, prosecutor Dennis Galiatsatos said he intends to prove the murder was politically motivated.
The Crown has presented evidence showing that Bain's SUV was tuned that night to 88.5 FM, the local CBC Radio One station. The channel was broadcasting a special live election-night program.
In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Bain also faces three counts of attempted murder, possession of an incendiary device and arson.
The Crown is expected to wrap its case by next Monday at the latest. The trial will then be suspended until July 18, when the defence will start its case.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
