Wright will take the stand, will say he was in video store morning Sweeney was murdered
Robert Steven Wright will take the stand in his own defence, his lawyer said Thursday morning during opening arguments in his second-degree murder trial.
Police supplied photos of Steven Wright who would have been 18 at the time of Renee Sweeney's murder
Lawyer Bryan Badali told the jury that Wright will say he was in the video store the morning of Jan. 27, 1998, when Renee Sweeney was stabbed to death. But he is innocent, Badali said.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Robert is not guilty of any crime,” he said.
“He was an 18-year-old high school student who did not know Renee Sweeney and had no apparent motive.”
In his opening remarks, Crown lawyer Kevin Ludgate said the Crown’s case will rely on DNA found at the scene, as well as bloody fingerprints found on the cashbox.
Ludgate said the tragedy of Sweeney’s death is undeniable.
“She was young, she was bright, a fourth-year university student,” he said.
“She had a world of opportunity ahead of her, all cut short the morning of Jan. 27, 1998 ... She opened the store. It would be her last day.”
Sweeney fought her attacker, Ludgate said, and some of the 30 wounds she sustained were defensive wounds.
“She tried to stop the multiple stabs to her face, her back, her neck,” he said.
“It was too much … She bled to death on the floor.”
While it may be hard to believe that a high school student with no record could commit such an act, Ludgate said everyone who commits an offence has a first time.
“Sometimes that first time is the last time. Sometimes that first time is murder.”
Witnesses will testify they saw someone resembling Wright run from the video store. A canine track discovered a jacket with Sweeney’s blood on it that is linked to Wright’s family, Ludgate said.
Wright “cannot be excluded” as the source of DNA taken from Sweeney’s fingernails, he said.
Badali said the issue to be decided isn’t whether Sweeney was murdered or that it was a horrible crime.
He said Wright doesn’t deny being in the video store the morning of the killing, or that DNA was found on the jacket.
“If this case isn’t about whether Robert was there, what is it about?” Badali said.
Wright will take the stand to provide answers, his lawyer said, even though he is not required to do so.
“Rob has decided he wants to take the stand and tell you himself he did not kill Renee Sweeney,” Badali said.
Wright will explain why he was there, that he came across her body and why he left when he did.
“He is going to provide answers to the questions you may have,” Badali said.
He reminded jurors that many people in Sudbury have opinions about the case, “but they are not jurors.”
“As jurors, you occupy a special role,” Badali said.
“It is not Robert’s job to prove to you he is innocent.”
“Keep an open mind.”
Wright is charged with second-degree murder of Sweeney, a 23-year-old Laurentian University student who worked at an adult video store on Paris Street.
He was arrested in December 2018 in North Bay, where he was working at the time. He has been in custody ever since.
The trial resumes Thursday afternoon and CTV News' coverage will continue.
23-year-old Renee Sweeney was murdered in Sudbury
Background
The brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Renee Sweeney rocked the City of Sudbury to its core on Jan. 27, 1998.
Police searched for her killer for two decades and finally charged Robert Steven Wright, who was 18 years old at the time of the murder. He has been held in jail since his arrest in Dec. 2018.
After several delays, the trial began Feb. 21, 2023, just after the 25th anniversary of Sweeney's death.
CTV News Digital content producer Darren MacDonald is bringing the latest from the courtroom every day and will have full coverage of the trial here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.