Nunavut's first murder trial under way
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Oct 30/00) - Tears rolled down Mary Deschenes' face as she recounted the abusive relationship she shared with her common-law partner Gilles Bergeron.
The picture she painted was one coloured with alcohol abuse, jealousy and violence.
"He didn't want me to talk to anyone. I guess he was jealous," Deschenes testified at her trial on a charge of second degree murder.
Bergeron was stabbed to death on April 23, 1999. The murder trial is the first in Nunavut.
Deschenes, 40, pleaded not guilty to the charge when the jury trial opened Oct. 23 in the Nunavut Court of Justice.
Deschenes said her nine-month relationship with Bergeron was happy at first. But, his grew and when he drank, Deschenes said he hit her and tore her clothing.
The violence increased until Deschenes said she phoned the police and had a violent and intoxicated Bergeron removed from the home they shared. Deschenes said she loved him and asked him to move back.
Two weeks later, they celebrated Deschenes' birthday by making the rounds of bars in Iqaluit. Deschenes said she blacked out and didn't know how she got home. She was awakened by Bergeron who was hitting her and shaking her.
Deschenes said she tried to phone the police, but Bergeron ripped the phone out of the wall. She went to the washroom and when she came out, Bergeron was sitting on the couch with a knife.
"I went straight to him and grabbed the knife and said what the f--- are you doing with that," said Deschenes.
The pair struggled for the knife and Deschenes said Bergeron went into the porch. There was a big bang, and she found Bergeron on the floor, with blood on his chest.
"I saw Gilles lying down there. I was thinking shit, what happened here," said Deschenes.
Under cross-examination by Crown counsel Richard Meredith, Deschenes said she was not concerned for her safety, but added that Bergeron changed under the influence of alcohol.
"He was a completely different person when drunk. I was not scared of him when he was not drunk," she said.
Defence lawyer Sue Cooper expects to call two more witnesses when the trial resumes Monday. Judge Robert Kilpatrick said the case may go to the jury by Wednesday.
