Labossiere murder trial hears closing arguments

Closing arguments have been delivered in the Labossiere triple-murder trial in Winnipeg on Monday, with both the Crown and defence lawyers focusing on the testimony of the Crown's key witness.

Denis Jerome Labossiere and Michel Hince are on trial, each facing three counts of first-degree murder, forthe 2005 slayings of Labossiere's brother, mother and father.

During the course of the two-week trial, the jury heard the bodies of the three Labossiere family members Remi, 44, Fernand, 78, and Rita, 74were found in the basement of their farm house in St. Leon, Man., after a fire in November 2005.

It was later determined that they had first been shot.

The Crown's key witness, Jeremie Toupin, testified he and Hincewere paid $10,000 by Jerome Labossiere to commit the murders.

Another witness testified that Labossiere was motivated to have his brothermurdered becausehe was "pissing away the family farm."

The brother,Remi, was the main target but the parents "were a surprise,"according to another Crown witness.

Testimony inconsistent, says defence lawyer

But Jerome Labossiere'slawyer, Todd Boursier, told the jury on Monday that thereis bias and inconsistency in the testimony, especially when it comes to Toupin.

He called Toupin a "cold and calculating killer" whose testimony is "full of contradictions and inconsistencies."

Hince's lawyer, Evan Roitenberg,attacked Toupin with similar remarks, calling him"a cold-blooded killer" and advising the jury that he isa "despicable being on whom none of you should rely."

Roitenberg said there is little orno corroborationforthe testimony provided by Toupin.

"Lies, lies, and more lies," he called it.

Toupin, 26, struck a deal with justice officials to testify against Labossiere and Hince. Inexchange, he has pleaded guilty to three counts of thelesser charge ofsecond-degree murder.

Toupin has not yet been sentenced, but a second-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence with no eligibility for parole for 10 years. A first-degree conviction comes with a life sentence withnoparole eligibility for25 years.

Witness not misleading, says Crown

Boursier said the Crown "made a deal with the devil." Roitenberg called it "a sweetheart deal" for Toupin.

Crown prosecutor Brian Bell acknowledged that Toupin did fumble on some answers during his testimony, but he insisted that Toupin is believable.

"Jeremie Toupin can be mistaken or unsure about some things. But is he deliberately misleading? We say no," Bell told the jury.

Bell also pointed to other witness testimony that implicated the two defendants in the Labossiere family deaths.

Jurors will receive their final instructions on Wednesday from Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser before they begin deliberations.