Gunshot residue found on hat discovered after Captain's Quarters killing

An expert from Ottawa testified he discovered gunshot residue on the outside of a hat that the Crown contends was worn by Brandon Phillips the night of a fatal 2015 armed robbery at a St. John's hotel.

Nigel Hearns, a gunshot residue specialist from the RCMP'scrime lab, told a Supreme Court jury Friday thatthe front of a hat sent from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary tested positive for gunshot residue.

Hearns explained to the 12-person jurythat fibres in clothing will in some cases hold gunshot residue for years if it is handled properly.

"If you don't wash it, it stays," he said.

The court has heard that RNC Const. Lisa Anderson found the hat around 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 4, 2015. It was nearly 10 and a halfhours after bar patron Larry Wellman was shot.

Anderson located the haton Forest Avenue, which runs behind the Captain's Quarters Hotel, which faces King's Bridge Road.

Defence raises questions on handling of hat

Members of the RNC's forensic identification unit collected the hatabout an hour later.

During cross-examination Thursday, defence lawyer Jeff Brace questioned it if was possible that one of the RNC officers who had been at the crime scene could have transferred gunshot residue to the hat.

Hearnstold the jury Friday that scenario is unlikely if clean gloves were used to collect the evidence.

Phillips, 29,is chargedin the shooting death of Wellman, 63,on Oct. 3, 2015 during an armed robbery at the Captain's Quarters.

The Crown alleges Phillips brought a sawed-off shotgun to the hotel in order to rob it.

Hearns will be cross-examined Friday afternoon.

So far in the trial, the jury has:

• Seen security footage from the barduring the 2015 robbery
• Heard from Wellman's widowabout the night her husband was killed
• Listened totestimony from Const. Barry Reynolds, the police officer who stayed with Wellman during his final moments,
• Heard from Shawn Deeley, a former patron at the Captain's Quarters
• Received an update from Dr. Simon Avis, chief medical examiner for Newfoundland and Labrador, testified Wellman was killed by a single gunshot to the groin.
• Been shown evidence such as amask and shotgun that were collected after the shooting.

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