Trial begins for Midland man accused of murder in death of tenant
The trial of a Midland man accused of murder in the death of his tenant and former friend is underway in a Barrie courtroom, where the jury will have to decide whether Rick Patrick killed Chris Forrester in self-defence.
It has been nearly three years since Forrester, 36, died in the hospital after suffering from a single stab wound to his chest outside a home along Galloway Boulevard in Midland.
Patrick, 68, was charged with second-degree murder and was later granted bail.
The Crown painted a picture for the jury of a deteriorating relationship between the two men that turned sour in the months before Forrester’s death.
The Crown highlighted a series of encounters between them, including several past calls to police.
The court heard Forrester was living in a nearby trailer he rented from Patrick, and that Patrick claimed Forrester slashed a tire on his truck and was responsible for cutting a cable line on his property.
The Crown told the court Patrick was trying to evict Forrester from the trailer, and mentioned Forrester had been previously convicted of an unrelated assault and was volunteering with Patrick as part of his sentence.
The court heard that escalating tensions culminated to a boiling point on December 16, 2021, when Patrick admitted to stabbing Forrester. The Crown said the single-stab wound killed him within minutes.
Crown Attorney Dennis Chronopoulos told the jury in his opening statement that before he died, Forrester told a police officer who came to his aid, “I just wanted to talk to him.”
An agreed statement of facts noted Patrick wasn't injured and had no blood on his clothing at the time of his arrest.
The 911 call Patrick made following the stabbing was played for the court, where he claimed Forrester ran at him from behind when he got out of his car.
“He tried to attack me. Get him help,” he could be heard saying.
During the recorded call, Patrick said he was planning to evict Forrester. “He came up from behind me and I put a knife to his chest.”
Still, Chronopoulos said the Crown would prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Patrick did not kill Forrester in self-defence, and that the evidence would show he murdered his former friend.
Toronto defence lawyer Alison Craig is representing Patrick.
The trial is scheduled for three weeks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
This is how much money you need to make to buy a house in Canada's largest cities
The average salary needed to buy a home keeps inching down in cities across Canada, according to the latest data.
'My two daughters were sleeping': London Ont. family in shock after their home riddled with gunfire
A London father and son they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.
Smuggler arrested with 300 tarantulas strapped to his body
Police in Peru have arrested a man caught trying to leave the country with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants strapped to his body.
Boissonnault out of cabinet to 'focus on clearing the allegations,' Trudeau announces
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced embattled minister Randy Boissonnault is out of cabinet.
Baby dies after being reported missing in midtown Toronto: police
A four-month-old baby is dead after what Toronto police are calling a “suspicious incident” at a Toronto Community Housing building in the city’s midtown area on Wednesday afternoon.
Sask. woman who refused to provide breath sample did not break the law, court finds
A Saskatchewan woman who refused to provide a breath sample after being stopped by police in Regina did not break the law – as the officer's request was deemed not lawful given the circumstances.
Parole board reverses decision and will allow families of Paul Bernardo's victims to attend upcoming parole hearing in person
The families of the victims of Paul Bernardo will be allowed to attend the serial killer’s upcoming parole hearing in person, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) says.