A teen who says he was sitting beside William Joseph Paul when Paul fired a sawed-off shotgun into another car could have been passing the blame, a defence lawyer argued as a Saskatoon trial wrapped up.
Paul’s lawyer, Kevin Hill, said the driver of the other car testified that the shooter was wearing red — the same colour the teen witness was wearing when he was arrested on March 21, 2015.
Police officers testified the teen was in a stolen car with Paul and William Roderick Gunn when it crashed into a garage. Paul, 25, and Gunn, 22, pleaded not guilty to several charges related to the shooting and ensuing police chase. Their trial was adjourned in March for the defence to make its closing arguments; a decision has been scheduled for May 30.
The Crown’s theory is that the shooting was targeting a rival gang member, but the trial heard no evidence that Paul belonged to a gang, Hill said. He noted the witness, who can’t be named because he was sentenced as a youth in connection with the case, was affiliated with the Sask Warriors gang.
Court heard an altercation between rival gang members in a Fairhaven neighbourhood parking lot led to the shooting. Witnesses said Gunn, an alleged gang member, followed a carload of people to the intersection of Fairlight Drive and 22nd Street, pulled into a ditch beside the car and waited for Paul to shoot before speeding off.
A woman who was in the passenger seat, Kendrea McDonnell, testified that Gunn passed Paul the shotgun.
The bullet did not fully pierce the rear passenger door and no one was hurt. Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss argued the men should still be convicted of attempting to endanger a life because the shot was fired from close range and hit just below the back window, where the passengers were likely ducking down.
Gunn’s involvement comes down to intent, defence lawyer Brent Little argued. He said his client could have pulled up to the car with the intention of threatening the people inside with the gun, noting the teen witness said the gun was used to threaten someone in the parking lot just moments before.
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