St. Patrick’s Day stabbing trial continues Tuesday
Posted Feb 5, 2013 06:16:50 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, Ont. – Opening arguments in the second-degree murder trial of Benjamin Taylor have been given to a jury.
Taylor, 20, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Scott Ledoux, 22, at an Orleans St. Patrick’s Day party in 2011. Taylor hosted the party.
Ledoux died after being stabbed eight times, including one blow delivered right through the heart.
According to the Citizen, day one of testimony saw two very different versions of what happened the night of the stabbing presented to the jury.
The defence told the jury that at the time of the stabbing, Taylor was a skinny, scrawny 18-year-old, trying to defend himself against a bigger, stronger Ledoux. Taylor claims that Ledoux had attacked him in his own home.
The crown said the two began to fight when Taylor asked Ledoux to leave his apartment, and he refused. The crown said friends then jumped in to break up the fight. Soon after, party goers said they saw Taylor get a knife, although no one witnessed the actual stabbing.
An autopsy has revealed that Ledoux had alcohol and cocaine in his system the night of the stabbing.
The trial continues Tuesday.
