For more than three and a half hours, defence lawyer Anthony Robbins pleaded with the jury to acquit Terrence Barrett.
He told them Barrett acted in self-defence on the night Milan (Mike) Segota died during a fight in their Ross Street rooming house in 2015.
"He was defending himself and Amy Novak, his girlfriend,” Robbins said. "He told the police straight away; he didn't deny it."
Segota died after being stabbed 22 times, including twice in the heart. Barrett admits to killing him, but insists it was self-defence.
How the fight started and what to believe is up to the jury. The only other witness to the fight was Novak.
At one point in the trial, she stormed out of the courtroom and was painted by Robbins as a perjurer.
"Ms. Novak's testimony is clearly insufficient to prove anything. Novak's testimony is deficient, unreliable and lies."
Robbins reminded the jury of several witness statements that supported Barrett's version of the events.
He told them Barrett had no history of violent behaviour and that the knives used in the fight did not belong to Barrett. He suggested Barrett wrestled a knife away from Segota.
"You are allowed to use deadly force in self-defence, especially if someone has a weapon, a knife." He told the jury, Barrett felt his life was being threatened.
"It was stab or be stabbed. He was fighting for his life."
In a clear plea to the jury, he said "You have to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that he wasn't acting in self-defence. Don't be swayed by pity or sympathy for Mr. Segota. Terry didn't intend it. I urge you ladies and gentlemen of the jury not to find Terry guilty."
Barrett faces a charge of second-degree murder.
Court resumes Tuesday morning when Crown attorney Fred Temple makes his closing arguments.
