'Unexpected' issues adjourn Matthew Raymond's murder trial for the week

The jury for Matthew Raymond's first-degree murder trial in Fredericton has been excused until next week because of "unexpected" issues.

Raymond is accused of shooting and killing four people from his apartment window on Aug. 10, 2018. He pleaded not guilty tofour counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Fredericton constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello and civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie-Lee Wright.

Thetrial began Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning court began without the jury present, so everything that took place is under a publication ban.

Justice Larry Landry called the jurors back at 11 a.m. and asked them to return on Tuesday of next week.

"Sometimes there's unexpected things or issues that come during the trial that needs the courtand the parties to discuss and review, and this is what is happening now," he said.

The officer in charge of exhibits in the Fredericton shooting investigation has been scheduled to continue his testimony Wednesday.

First day had testimony from exhibits officer

On Tuesday, Crown and defence presented opening statements and agreed statements of fact. Both sides agree Raymond was the shooter, but the defence says he wasn't criminally responsible at the time of the murders.

Const. Stephane Sabourin with the RCMP major crimes unit has been keeping track of evidence involved in the shooting investigation. Some of the exhibits presentedincluded a semi-automatic rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun taken from Raymond's living room.

Police also found shotgun rounds and hundreds of rounds of different types of ammunition.

The defence presented other items, including a black notebook inside Raymond's apartment with the mathematical calculations, and newspapers with "serpent" and "hoax" written on the front pages.

The trial is expected to take four to six weeks.

The Crown is calling 39 witnesses, and the defence will be calling psychiatrists to testify to Raymond's state of mind on Aug. 10, 2018.

• On mobile? Click here.