'A dead girl in my bathtub': Barton takes stand at own manslaughter trial

Jury box in a courtroom at the Edmonton Law Courts building, in Edmonton on Friday, June 28, 2019. The president of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers is worried the justice system will try to delay jury trials as it deals with COVID-19 at the expense of the rights of those accused of a crime. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON — A man on trial for manslaughter testified Monday he “panicked” and “freaked out” when he found the lifeless body of Cindy Gladue in his hotel room bathtub.

Bradley Barton, 52, said that, in his state of shock, he only wanted to exit the blood-covered bathroom as quickly as possible.

“My mind was going 10 times 100 miles a minute. I was in shock. I didn’t know what happened. I had to get out of there,” Barton told jurors at Court of Queen’s Bench.

Barton said he then gathered his belongings, exited Room 139 of the Yellowhead Inn, checked out at the front desk, and got in touch with a co-worker.

“I told him there was a dead girl in my bathtub,” Barton testified, admitting he lied to that same co-worker about his connection to Gladue, a 36-year-old Cree and Metis woman.

“I didn’t want him to think I had a young lady in my room for sex.”

Barton, a married long-haul furniture mover, said he called 911 after being advised to do so by the colleague.

Barton is accused of sexually assaulting Gladue who, according to an autopsy, suffered an 11-centimetre wound in her vagina and died due to severe blood loss.

The two had engaged in sexual activity on consecutive evenings beginning on June 20, 2011 — interactions Barton maintains were consensual and painless.

Barton said he was introduced to Gladue after meeting a man on a bicycle outside the Yellowhead Inn and asking him if he “knew any lady friends.”

“Her name was Cindy,” recalled Barton. “We chatted. I asked her what the price would be. And she said $100 and I said, 'No.’ We agreed on $60.

“$60 was for sex.”

GRAPHIC WARNING: The following details may disturb some readers.

Not long after the two agreed on money, Barton said he received oral sex from Gladue in Room 139 while she sat naked on the bed. He testified that he began inserting his fingers into Gladue’s vagina, eventually using all four fingers up to his knuckles, his hand in a cone-like position.

“She was moaning and groaning. Having a good time,” said Barton, who indicated he performed the activity for approximately five to 10 minutes.

After then engaging in sexual intercourse, Barton said the two exchanged contact information and that he contacted Gladue the following night to “hang out.”

On the evening of June 21, 2011, Gladue joined Barton and colleague Kevin Atkins, who were drinking at the hotel’s Lucky Lady Lounge.

Barton said he introduced Gladue to Atkins, but lied about how he knew her.

“I didn’t want Kevin to know I was hiring a lady,” said Barton.

Shortly before going to their respective rooms, Barton said he asked if Atkins wanted to join.

“I wanted to know if he wanted to join in on the fun with Cindy and I,” Barton told court.

“What happens on the road, stays on the road,” Barton said he told Atkins, who declined the offer.

Once in Room 139, Barton testified that sexual activity with Gladue began much the same way it had the first night. Only this time, when he eventually put his cone-shaped hand inside Gladue, he said he went “one to two centimetres” further and did so “a little longer” than the night before.

“I pulled my hand out and there was a bunch of blood on my hand. And I asked Cindy, 'Are you getting your period?' And I said, ‘I’m not interested.’”

Barton said he told Gladue he wasn’t going to pay her because “there was nothing completed” and proceeded to wash his hands, before going to bed.

“Was she saying to you she was in pain?” asked Barton’s lawyer, Dino Bottos.

“No,” said Barton.

“Did she say call 911 or call the hospital?” asked Bottos.

“No,” replied Barton.

Barton said he recalled hearing Gladue get off the bed and go into the washroom.

“I dozed off. I woke back up. I heard water running. Then I fell asleep.”

Awoken by a second hotel wake-up call, Barton said that is when he looked in the bathroom.

“I seen Cindy laying in the tub. Blood everywhere.”

“I was in shock. I flipped out. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my entire life.”

After Barton called 911, police arrived and eventually took Barton in for questioning.

Monday was the first time the jury had heard directly from Barton during the trial, which is now in its fourth week.

Last week, the Crown read evidence that showed Google search history on Barton’s laptop linked to videos of vaginas being ripped or torn by large objects.

In his opening remarks, Bottos cautioned jurors not to jump to conclusions.

“Mr. Barton has maybe come across as crude, diabolical, maybe even a liar,”Bottos said.

“This case is not about whether you think Mr. Barton is a bad person.”

Barton’s testimony is scheduled to continue Tuesday morning.

With files from the Canadian Press