A jury has acquitted a 19-year-old man charged with second-degree murder in the random beating death of Spence Street resident Audrey Cooper.
The man, who cannot be named because he was 15 years old at the time of the killing, was overwhelmed by emotion and tried to hold back tears after jurors delivered their verdict Wednesday evening.
Jurors reached their verdict shortly after 9 p.m. following a day and a half of deliberations.
Cooper, 34, was beaten to death in October 2006 outside the Spence Street rooming house where she lived.
Jurors interrupted their deliberations Wednesday afternoon to review the testimony of three witnesses, including a now 16-year-old female co-accused. Jurors also asked Justice Holly Beard to clarify the meaning of “reasonable doubt.”
The man’s three female co-accused were previously convicted and sentenced for their parts in the killing.
A now 16-year-old girl pleaded guilty last year to manslaughter and received the maximum youth sentence of three years custody and community supervision, with a requirement she live in a specialized group home until she is 18.
Two now 18-year-old girls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received the maximum youth sentence of seven years custody and community supervision.
Jurors were told the male accused admitted in a police statement to punching Cooper once. His 16-year-old co-accused — who admitted instigating the attack after Cooper refused her demand for a cigarette — told jurors he did much more. She testified the accused “stomped” Cooper in the head and stomach. After the two older girls stripped Cooper’s clothes off, the accused urinated on her, the girl said.
Jurors heard Cooper suffered more than 60 distinct injuries, including seven broken ribs, a punctured liver and a severed ear.
Defence lawyer Ian Histed argued his client was merely an observer and took no active role in the attack.
Histed argued the 16-year-old girl lied about his client urinating on Cooper. Court heard there is no method to prove where urine came from.
The girl “didn’t want to admit she kicked a woman so hard she lost control of her bladder, so she made up this story about the accused urinating on her,” Histed said.
Winnipeg teen not guilty in random killing
Winnipeg teen found not guilty in random beating death
WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg teen has been found not guilty of participating in the random beating death of a stranger on the street.
Jurors spent two days deliberating before reaching their verdict late Wednesday night. The 19-year-old accused - who can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the October 2006 slaying - pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder when his trial began in early June.
The Crown was expected to seek an adult sentence against the man if he was convicted.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was the victim of what police described as one of the city's worst attacks in years. She suffered 64 separate injuries, inluding seven broken ribs, a lacerated liver, swelling that shut both of her eyes and bleeding on the brain. She was also stripped naked and left to die outside of the Spence Street rooming house where she lived.
Cooper didn't know her killers, who jumped her after she refused their request for a cigarette, court was told.
Three young girls - aged 12, 14 and 14 - previously admitted to their roles in the killing. The youngest girl struck a deal with justice officials to plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the young man. She was given the maximum youth sentence of two years custody and one year of community supervision.
The two other girls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were given the maximum youth sentence of four years of custody and three years of community supervision.
Crown attorney Ami Kotler told jurors in closing arguments last week they should have no trouble finding the man guilty. He previously admitted to police he "punched" Cooper, while other witnesses have described him as also joining in on the kicking and stomping of the unconscious woman.
The most damning evidence came from the youngest killer, who testified last week how the man on trial urinated on Cooper’s body before fleeing the scene. Kotler said the fact police found a pool of urine at the crime scene proves the girl is telling the truth.
However, defence lawyer Ian Histed accused the Crown’s key witness of exaggerating his client’s involvement in order to escape prosecution on the more serious murder charge. She denied the suggestion while being cross-examined. Histed didn't deny the young man was present when the attack began but claimed he was just an innocent observer.
Jurors were clearly having difficulty with her evidence, which they asked to review Wednesday afternoon while in the midst of deliberations. They also asked Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard to give them further details on the meaning of "reasonable doubt", which the Crown is tasked with proving in order to secure a conviction.
Jury finds teen not guilty in woman's random beating death
A Winnipeg teen has been found not guilty of participating in the random beating death of a stranger on the street.
Jurors spent two days deliberating before reaching their verdict late Wednesday night. The 19-year-old accused -- who can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the October 2006 slaying -- pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder when his trial began in early June.
The Crown was expected to seek an adult sentence against the man if he was convicted.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was the victim of what police described as one of the city's worst attacks in years. She suffered 64 separate injuries, inluding seven broken ribs, a lacerated liver, swelling that shut both of her eyes and bleeding on the brain. She was also stripped naked and left to die outside of the Spence Street rooming house where she lived.
Cooper didn't know her killers, who jumped her after she refused their request for a cigarette, court was told.
Three young girls -- aged 12, 14 and 14 -- previously admitted to their roles in the killing. The youngest girl struck a deal with justice officials to plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the young man. She was given the maximum youth sentence of two years custody and one year of community supervision.
Crown attorney Ami Kotler told jurors in closing arguments last week they should have no trouble finding the man guilty. He previously admitted to police he "punched" Cooper, while other witnesses have described him as also joining in on the kicking and stomping of the unconscious woman.
The most damning evidence came from the youngest killer, who testified last week how the man on trial urinated on Cooper's body before fleeing the scene. Kotler said the fact police found a pool of urine at the crime scene proves the girl is telling the truth.
However, defence lawyer Ian Histed accused the Crown's key witness of exaggerating his client's involvement in order to escape prosecution on the more serious murder charge. She denied the suggestion while being cross-examined. Histed didn't deny the young man was present when the attack began but claimed he was just an innocent observer.
Jurors were clearly having difficulty with her evidence, which they asked to review Wednesday afternoon while in the midst of deliberations. They also asked Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard to give them further details on the meaning of "reasonable doubt", which the Crown is required to prove in order to secure a conviction.
Winnipeg teen not guilty in random killing
A young Winnipeg man has been found not guilty of taking part in the random beating that killed Audrey Cooper on a city street almost four years ago.
Jurors reached the verdict late Wednesday night.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was beaten, stripped naked and urinated on when she was swarmed by a group of youths, who tossed loose change on her after the attack.
The youths, who included three girls, were upset Cooper didn't give them a cigarette when they walked by her home on Spence Street in October 2006, court was told.
The 19-year-old man acquitted Wednesday can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the slaying. He claimed he was a bystander to the attack and pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.
Three girls — one 12 years old at the time, and two who were 14 — have already admitted their roles in the fatal beating.
The youngest pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the man. She got the maximum youth sentence of two years in custody and one year of community supervision.
The two other girls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were given the maximum youth sentence of four years in custody and three years of community supervision.
Court was told at the girls' sentencing that Cooper suffered a brain hemorrhage and ruptured organs during the attack, which police described as completely random.
Jurors reached the verdict late Wednesday night.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was beaten, stripped naked and urinated on when she was swarmed by a group of youths, who tossed loose change on her after the attack.
The youths, who included three girls, were upset Cooper didn't give them a cigarette when they walked by her home on Spence Street in October 2006, court was told.
The 19-year-old man acquitted Wednesday can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the slaying. He claimed he was a bystander to the attack and pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.
Three girls — one 12 years old at the time, and two who were 14 — have already admitted their roles in the fatal beating.
The youngest pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the man. She got the maximum youth sentence of two years in custody and one year of community supervision.
The two other girls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were given the maximum youth sentence of four years in custody and three years of community supervision.
Court was told at the girls' sentencing that Cooper suffered a brain hemorrhage and ruptured organs during the attack, which police described as completely random.
Winnipeg teen found not guilty in random beating death
WINNIPEG - A Winnipeg teen has been found not guilty of participating in the random beating death of a stranger on the street.
Jurors spent two days deliberating before reaching their verdict late Wednesday night. The 19-year-old accused - who can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the October 2006 slaying - pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder when his trial began in early June.
The Crown was expected to seek an adult sentence against the man if he was convicted.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was the victim of what police described as one of the city's worst attacks in years. She suffered 64 separate injuries, inluding seven broken ribs, a lacerated liver, swelling that shut both of her eyes and bleeding on the brain. She was also stripped naked and left to die outside of the Spence Street rooming house where she lived.
Cooper didn't know her killers, who jumped her after she refused their request for a cigarette, court was told.
Three young girls - aged 12, 14 and 14 - previously admitted to their roles in the killing. The youngest girl struck a deal with justice officials to plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the young man. She was given the maximum youth sentence of two years custody and one year of community supervision.
The two other girls pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were given the maximum youth sentence of four years of custody and three years of community supervision.
Crown attorney Ami Kotler told jurors in closing arguments last week they should have no trouble finding the man guilty. He previously admitted to police he "punched" Cooper, while other witnesses have described him as also joining in on the kicking and stomping of the unconscious woman.
The most damning evidence came from the youngest killer, who testified last week how the man on trial urinated on Cooper’s body before fleeing the scene. Kotler said the fact police found a pool of urine at the crime scene proves the girl is telling the truth.
However, defence lawyer Ian Histed accused the Crown’s key witness of exaggerating his client’s involvement in order to escape prosecution on the more serious murder charge. She denied the suggestion while being cross-examined. Histed didn't deny the young man was present when the attack began but claimed he was just an innocent observer.
Jurors were clearly having difficulty with her evidence, which they asked to review Wednesday afternoon while in the midst of deliberations. They also asked Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard to give them further details on the meaning of "reasonable doubt", which the Crown is tasked with proving in order to secure a conviction.
Jury finds teen not guilty in woman's random beating death
A Winnipeg teen has been found not guilty of participating in the random beating death of a stranger on the street.
Jurors spent two days deliberating before reaching their verdict late Wednesday night. The 19-year-old accused -- who can't be named because he was only 15 at the time of the October 2006 slaying -- pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder when his trial began in early June.
The Crown was expected to seek an adult sentence against the man if he was convicted.
Audrey Cooper, 34, was the victim of what police described as one of the city's worst attacks in years. She suffered 64 separate injuries, inluding seven broken ribs, a lacerated liver, swelling that shut both of her eyes and bleeding on the brain. She was also stripped naked and left to die outside of the Spence Street rooming house where she lived.
Cooper didn't know her killers, who jumped her after she refused their request for a cigarette, court was told.
Three young girls -- aged 12, 14 and 14 -- previously admitted to their roles in the killing. The youngest girl struck a deal with justice officials to plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in exchange for her testimony against the young man. She was given the maximum youth sentence of two years custody and one year of community supervision.
Crown attorney Ami Kotler told jurors in closing arguments last week they should have no trouble finding the man guilty. He previously admitted to police he "punched" Cooper, while other witnesses have described him as also joining in on the kicking and stomping of the unconscious woman.
The most damning evidence came from the youngest killer, who testified last week how the man on trial urinated on Cooper's body before fleeing the scene. Kotler said the fact police found a pool of urine at the crime scene proves the girl is telling the truth.
However, defence lawyer Ian Histed accused the Crown's key witness of exaggerating his client's involvement in order to escape prosecution on the more serious murder charge. She denied the suggestion while being cross-examined. Histed didn't deny the young man was present when the attack began but claimed he was just an innocent observer.
Jurors were clearly having difficulty with her evidence, which they asked to review Wednesday afternoon while in the midst of deliberations. They also asked Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard to give them further details on the meaning of "reasonable doubt", which the Crown is required to prove in order to secure a conviction.
Yay!! I am glad that this man was found not guilty of the crime and acquitted completely! The result couldn't have been better! There was definitely a reasonable doubt as to this man's guilt, due to the fact that the key Crown witness could have been exaggerating the accused's involvement in order for her to obtain a better deal with justice officials, as her second degree murder charge was dropped to manslaughter, in exchange for her testimony. She made no statement to police at first. Also, the other teens involved in the killing had blood and forensic evidence on them, linking them to the crime. But this male accused had none. I am glad he was acquitted. It doesn't happen very often that the jury gets it right, in my opinion.
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