Trial begins for man accused of leading mass shooting at birthday party

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This article was published 12/04/2011 (5321 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A trial is underway for the alleged mastermind of a mass shooting at a Winnipeg birthday party.

Colton Patchinose, 21, is accused of being one of two masked men who burst into an Alexander Street home in March 2008, killing three people and seriously wounding three others. He began his jury case Monday by pleading not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.

Defence lawyers Mike Cook and Pam Smith have conceded their client was involved in the shootings, but are seeking convictions to less serious offences. The key issue will be intent, and whether Patchinose’s actions were planned and deliberate.

Much of the Crown’s case will be built on the evidence of another man who was originally arrested, only to have his charges dropped. Howard Roulette, 28, has close ties with the accused and is expected to testify about the events leading up to, and following, the shooting spree, jurors were told in the Crown’s opening statement.

The Crown expects defence lawyers to challenge Roulette’s credibility and try to paint him as a liar when he takes the stand later this week.

Scott Lavallee, 31, Jennifer Ward, 26, and Corey Keeper, 22, suffered fatal injuries after being struck at close range by at least eight of the 19 bullets fired that night. Nearly 30 people had gathered at the Weston-area home for a party, including Roulette and Patchinose. The two men had met each other weeks earlier because their girlfriends were roommates, jurors were told.

Patchinose allegedly told Roulette he wanted to leave the party. Roulette was driving his car that night and is expected to testify he took Patchinose to a home on Pritchard Avenue, where he was told to wait outside. Patchinose emerged a few minutes later with a youth co-accused and allegedly told Roulette he wanted to return to the home on Alexander. On the way there, Patchinose and the youth allegedly produced guns, with Patchinose saying he wanted to go back inside and “shoot the place up,” jurors were told Monday.

Roulette is expected to tell jurors he balked at their plans and said he didn’t want to be involved, according to the Crown. Patchinose allegedly threatened to shoot him if he didn’t comply.

Police broke the case open after learning Roulette had been at the party earlier in the night, information that came through his cousin, who was also present. He was interviewed and initially claimed to have no knowledge about what happened.

But he quickly broke down and told police a much different story, the Crown said.

Jurors were told Monday the youth accused has already had his own separate trial, but no further information was given.

www.mikeoncrime.com