Jury deliberations are underway in a Winnipeg murder case where the testimony of two key Crown witnesses is being challenged by the accused.
Cory Bushie has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for the July 2007 killing of 20-year-old Aaron Nabess in a lane behind a known crack house at 575 Magnus Avenue.
Jurors began weighing the evidence early Thursday afternoon and will remain sequestered until they reach a verdict.
Two women testified during the trial they saw Bushie pull the trigger. But defence lawyer Danny Gunn argued this week there isn't enough evidence to convict his client and that the real killer wasn't put on trial.
"I can't tell you who did it. I wish I could," Gunn said during his closing arguments. "But this case can't possibly be one with proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
Gunn said there were plenty of other people with opportunity and motive to kill Nabess, a known drug dealer. Gunn suggested the eyewitness testimony from two women who say they watched Bushie shoot Nabess is flawed and may have been an attempt to cover up the truth.
However, the Crown told jurors there should be no doubt about Bushie's guilt.
They noted the testimony of Marilia Martins, who broke down in tears last week while describing how Nabess and Bushie got into a dispute that ended with gunfire while she and a friend stood nearby.
The four had just left the North End home, where a party was going on inside.
"Aaron told Cory 'I can get my boys' and Cory said '(Expletive) your boys'," said Martins. "Then Cory pulled out the gun. He shot him."
Bushie fled, while a fatally wounded Nabess staggered away from the scene before collapsing.
She and her friend ran to another home and never called 911.
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