Why is the jury taking so long in the Quebec election-night murder trial? - Action News
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Montreal

Why is the jury taking so long in the Quebec election-night murder trial?

Seven days of deliberations may seem like a long time to deliver a verdict, especially when Richard Bain was arrested moments after the deadly shooting, but experts say it's a more complex case than it may seem.

The jury is entering its 8th day of deliberations as it weighs the fate of Richard Bain

The verdict will be delivered in this Montreal courtroom, before Quebec Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer, defence lawyer Alan Guttman, Crown prosecutor Dennis Galiatsatos, and accused Richard Bain. (Charles Contant)

Richard Bain's murder trial has already seen multiple delays and setbacks, and now that it's in the homestretch, it'seasy to be impatient for the jury's final word.

The Crown has arguedBainis guilty of first-degree murder, while the defence team contends hewas suffering from a psychoticdelusion and should not be heldcriminally responsible for his actions.

Members of the public who've been following from afarmight be wondering what's taking so long, but the jury'stask is a difficult one, says criminallawyer andUniversitduQubecMontrallaw professorJean-ClaudeHbert.

"It's normal. There are so many options on the table ...they can't forget anything."

There's much more to the evidencethan the highlightreel that'sbeen broadcast in the media the infamous video of Bain being arrested moments after the shootingand the dramatic eyewitness testimony.

Richard Bain, wearing a bathrobe and ski mask, was led away by police following the 2012 election-night shooting outside Montreal's Metropolis. (Radio-Canada)

The jury,made up of sevenwomen and five men,has to weigh 32days of testimony from56 different witnesses, as well astwo lengthy reports frompsychiatrists who disagree on Bain's mental state on the night of the shooting.

Plus, the 12 complete strangers will have to be unanimous in their decision in order to deliver a verdict.

In court on Friday, Justice GuyCournoyersaidthe length ofdeliberations is by no means abnormal for a case where the defence is arguing that its client is not criminally responsible, or NCR.

"It's quite within the realm of what our jurisdiction had in other NCR cases," he said.

It took eight days for a jury to findLukaMagnottaguilty of first-degree murder for slaying Jun Lin,and seven days for a jury to find Quebec cardiologistGuyTurcotteguilty of second-degree murderin the deaths of his two children.

Just a couple years ago, a jury at the Montreal courthouse took18 daysto findEvgueniMataevguilty of assault andpimping in 2014.

So at this point, at least, the jury in the Richard Bain trial is nowhere near breaking a record.