Trial of man accused of murder in 2018 begins in Sudbury

Sudbury courthouse (CTV Northern Ontario)

Sudbury -

The victim of a fatal stabbing in 2018 in Greater Sudbury was attending a celebration of life for a late friend when he was killed, a Sudbury court heard Tuesday as the trial began.

Tyler Sels has been charged with multiple offences, including murder in the stabbing death of 27-year-old Charles St. Jean at the September 2018 gathering.

Sels is also charged with aggravated assault in the stabbing of two other people at the event, which happened outside a residence on Levesque Street, off of Kingsway Boulevard.

Crown attorney Terry Waltenbury told the jury that the question isn't whether Sels committed the acts. Instead, it's whether the attacks were justified, which he said the Crown intends to prove they were not.

Waltenbury said the memorial celebration was taking place at a duplex and an altercation happened when the resident of the other unit came out to complain about people on the deck.

"It came to an abrupt end with an outbreak of violence," he said when Sels came out and began stabbing people.

St. Jean was stabbed several times in the chest and abdomen, Waltenbury said, penetrating six inches into his body.

Superior Court Justice Dan Cornell told the jury it is their job to determine what the facts in the case are, and make a collective decision on guilt or innocence.

"The defence agrees Tyler Sels was involved in the incidents you will hear about," Cornell said. "The Crown must prove the death was unlawful."

The jury can expect to hear about issues on whether Sels was provoked, acting in self-defence, or in defence of a third party, he added.

"You need to consider the evidence you're going to hear with an open mind," Cornell said. "Your sole task is to determine guilt or innocence … You are not to become investigators."

As the trial began, Sels stood in the court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trial resumes Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. with opening remarks from defence attorney Michael Puskas.