911 calls played in Wareham murder trial

The jury in a Thunder Bay murder trial Tuesday heard two separate 911 phone callsdescribing the outcome of an altercation in an apartment building.

Andre Wareham is accused in the January 2009 stabbing death of William Atkins in a Finlayson Street apartment building.

In one of the calls to a 911 dispatcher, a frantic-sounding Wareham claims Atkins began punching and kicking him in the face, and that he was forced to defend himself. Wareham also tells the dispatcher he owned a knife for work purposes and requests an ambulance for Atkins.

The second 911 call regarding the incident came from another tenant in the building, who said there had been a fight and that one man was badly injured.

Justice Terrance Platana gave his opening instructions to the jury Tuesday morning before the prosecution and defence counsel delivered their opening remarks.

Self-inflicted wound

Co-prosecutor Elaine Burtontold the court Warehamhad a weapon and had no injuries except for an accidentallyself-inflicted knife wound.

Defence attorney Steven Hinkson said in his opening statement that Wareham acted in self-defence.

The trial, which was set to begin last March, is expected to last about two weeks.

The delay for the trialwas necessary because a judge ruled last year that the jury pool didn't adequately represent the Aboriginal population in the region.