From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Oct 28 2009 - 13:31:16 EST
Jury shown video of charred victim
Cop details grisly scene for courtroom
By KEVIN MARTIN, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 28th October 2009, 4:33am
Jurors viewed gruesome video yesterday of the charred remains of Calgary
homicide victim Yonas Amahazion.
Retired Sgt. Bill Sturgeon, who took the crime scene video, led jurors
through the 25-minute tape which focused on a burned-out garbage bin in
northeast Calgary.
Portions of the tape showed Amahazion's body after it had been set aflame
inside the dumpster outside the Calgary Elks Lodge and Golf Club.
"Inside, we can see blackened areas ... there's charred debris on the
floor," Sturgeon said, as jurors viewed the video on individual screens.
"We can see he's very badly burned.
"We can see Mr. Amahazion is in a fetal-like position. He was lying on his
left side."
Sturgeon was testifying at the second-degree murder trial of Calgarian Cory
Anthoni Manowski, in connection with the Jan. 2, 2007, death of Amahazion,
19.
He also faces charges of arson and interfering with human remains.
Amahazion's mother Mehret Negusse, who forced a brief adjournment Monday
when she collapsed and began wailing when Sturgeon began showing the video,
left the courtroom while the exhibit was shown.
Sturgeon said close-ups revealed injuries to the victim.
"Around the forehead area there appears to be a portion of the skull
missing," he said.
Meanwhile, the former roommate of both the dead man and his accused murderer
testified a fight over sleeping arrangements may have led to the killing.
Alex Trimble said Manowski told him he tried to crash in one of the two beds
in their basement suite, but Amahazion kicked him out, leading to a physical
altercation.
His testimony continues this morning.
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