Jury hears closing arguments in Devontay Hackett murder trial

The defence and Crown lawyers made their closing arguments Monday in the second-degree murder trial of Devontay Hackett.

• Ottawa prom night murder trial: courtroom watches police interrogate accused
• Knife likely cause of fatal wound to Brandon Volpi's heart, court hears

The Crown alleges Hackett, now 21, stabbedBrandon Volpi to deathduring a fight outside an after-prom party at Les Suites Hotel in June 2014.

Defence lawyer Joseph Addelman said the Crown's case amounted to speculation and that police both failed to find the murder weapon and placeit in the hands of the accused, Devontay Hackett.

"The police fail to recover a murder weapon," Addelmansaid. "Although police attention focuses on Devontay within hours and the police can follow a blood trail and video trail all the way to Orleans and they check every garbage can, sewer grate and bush from Les Suites to Orleans, they do not find a knife."

Addelman relied on the testimony of Danielle Saunders Gauthier, a witness who was interviewed by police and called to testify by the defence, to cast doubt on whether Hackett actually wielded the knife during the fight.

He said Saunders Gauthier saw the knife in another man's hand.

The defence said Hacketthad Volpi's blood on his white T-shirt because Volpi was already bleeding by the time the two fought.

"We all feel terrible for Brandon and want justice, but you must act in accordance with law and evidence," Addelman said.

Crown relies on videos

Assistant Crown attorney Michael Boyce replayed a cellphonevideo of the June 2014 fight that had been entered into evidence earlier in the trial.

"These videos show Devontay Hackett murdered Brandon Volpi," Boyce said.

Boyce said Hackett had readied himself for a fight with Volpi while carrying a knife and that the defence was offering an unlikely story where the two fought after Volpi was mortally wounded.

"The defence would have you believe there is a mystery knife-wielder," he said.

Cellphone and security footage of prom night killing

8 years ago

Duration 0:46

This cellphone and security footage shows a fatal prom night fight outside a downtown Ottawa hotel in June 2014. It was shown at the murder trial of Devontay Hackett, who accused of killing Brandon Volpi.

Boyce argued Hackett'sintention to kill Volpi was clear given the two places he stabbed Volpi the knife was driven10 cm into Volpi's chest and his throat was slashed.

The Crown said Hackettwas motivated by anger at Mauricio Rodriguez, a friend of Volpi's, when the fight occured.

He also reminded the jury that Hackett fled Ottawa and had traces of Volpi's blood on his watch when he was arrested in Toronto a month later on a Canada-wide warrant.

Boyce said it is unlikely that Hackett would have left the cityover a "six-second scuffle."

It's now up to the jury of eight men and four women to decide Hackett's fate.