The trial of a Moncton resident accused of a double homicide has been postponed until the following week, according to information presented to jurors on Thursday. Justice Cameron Gunn, the presiding judge, informed the jury about a legal matter that had arisen as they entered the courtroom. Janson Bryan Baker’s trial commenced last Saturday in Moncton’s Court of King’s Bench after the jury selection process. Baker has entered a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
On Tuesday, the Crown delivered its opening statement, which was followed by the initial witness testimony. Due to inclement weather, the trial was pushed back to Thursday for the second witness. The jurors were delayed by about an hour on Thursday, and Gunn disclosed that he and the attorneys needed to discuss a matter outside the jury’s presence.
Information regarding proceedings in court while the jury is absent is restricted from publication due to a standard ban on reporting. During the jury’s presence in the courtroom, Crown prosecutor James McConnell presented a jointly agreed statement of facts. This document includes details that Baker has acknowledged, eliminating the need for additional evidence or witness accounts to validate those specifics.
The statement identified the deceased individuals as Bernard Saulnier and Rose-Marie Saulnier, who passed away in Dieppe around September 7, 2019. It was mentioned in the statement that Dr. Ken Obenson, a forensic pathologist, conducted an autopsy on September 9 and 10, 2019, in Saint John. Following the reading of the statement, the judge informed the jury that proceedings would resume on Monday morning, expressing optimism about making up for lost time.
Despite a sluggish start, Gunn reassured the courtroom that they would make progress. The trial is expected to extend over a three-month period.
