First week of murder trial in Pat Stay’s death wraps up

The first week of the murder trial for Pat Stay’s killing came to a close on Friday.

A Halifax police forensics officer was cross-examined at a murder trial in Dartmouth on Friday.

Michael Lacy, one of Adam Drake’s defence lawyers, questioned Det. Const. Randy Wood about the scene at the Yacht Club Social in early September 2022, after Pat Stay was fatally stabbed.

Adam Drake is accused of second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. The first week of the five-week trial is now complete.

Wood, who continued testimony for a second day, testified about his work marking 20 one-metre-by-one-metre areas on the floor of the club, following what was believed to be a blood trail from the VIP section in the back of the establishment to the front door.

While Lacy reviewed photos and videos from the scene, he asked Wood if it was clear that people were walking within the trail of blood in the immediate aftermath.

“It’s very obvious,” Wood testified.

He took 44 singular foot impressions from the floor in and around the trail.

Wood confirmed that using a Hemostick – which he described as a field test for possible blood – ultimately needs to be confirmed in a lab.

On Thursday, Wood testified about a trail of what was believed to be blood leading to a back door of the bar. During the Crown’s opening statement earlier in the week, prosecutor Carla Ball alleged Drake left the establishment through a back door not designated for bar-goers.

As part of Lacy’s questioning on Friday, he asked the officer if he was tasked with documenting or photographing clothing and footwear belonging to two different people.

“I certainly wasn’t,” he said of one individual, followed by “no, sir,” to the other name.

It’s not clear who those people are or how they may be related to the case.

Crown’s next witnesses

After Woods completed cross-examination, the Crown called two other witnesses to testify Friday afternoon, both discussing where Stay was prior to heading to the Yacht Club around12:34 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2022.

Corey Good took the stand next, describing Stay as one of his best friends. He said Stay attended his wedding on Sept. 3.

He told the trial Stay had a girlfriend and two children. He also told the jury Stay was a battle rapper, which someone who disses another artist face-to-face.

Good testified Stay dropped a ‘diss track’ against well-known American rapper The Game on Sept. 2.

Finally, Shawn Knowles took the stand. He was a bar manager at Celtic Corner in Dartmouth at the time.

He said he served Stay and four others a round of beer and a round of shots around midnight on Sept. 3, after Stay left the wedding, saying Stay seemed “fairly sober.”

Friday’s testimony concluded the first week of the trial.

Court won’t sit on Monday due to the holiday, but picks up again on Tuesday.

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