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2-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, February 3, 2004 bnles tht/ oey likely the motive for slaying: Crown immune to - , * ,p ni 0 f Ç ti ï'w . advertising By STEPHANIE THIESSEN Jago told court Friday. to get money," Ms Jago said. "Sadly for einptied it to prove he had no cash. s neor The Champion Ms Jago told Judge Bruce Dumo in her Murray Paerott, he was the one walking Later that moming, M. Parrott's bodly itself Tragedy might have been averted if closing arguments at Superior Court of home and got in the way of the accused. was found with stab wounds to his chest immune to Milton carpenter Murray Parrott hadn't Justice in Milton that then t9-year-old M. Murray Parrot was a quick way to get and neck by a Milton man out walldng his busnes." been in a weak, drunken stupor the night he Stokes had accosted M. Parrott, 53, in the money. But he had spent it al" dolg tlabou 6:30ar. blind DreMlo Dry was murdered by self-confessed killer wee hours of Aug. 31, 2001 because he This, Ms Jago said, angered M. Stokes CuringoClub neae M ild e e od Brws Douglas Stokes, Crown attorney Laurie was vulnerable and might have had somne to the point of beating and stabbing Me. MegeSes pede d guir t Prto i tIeend Be said it was oui of self defense because Me. Parrott had first lunged at hlmi with the e knife. Defense attorney Michael DelGobbo began the proceedings saying, "Mhe issue is did the vîcttmi pull out a knife on Me. Stokes as described by hlm (Me. Stokes)?" Be went on to, repeat parts of Me. Stokes' testimony given three months earlier. Me. Stokes had bld the court that M. Murray had pulled out a knife from his pocket after becoming angry because Mr. Stokes wouldn't buy marijuana for hiru. Mr. Stokes had testified he gol carried away, stabbing and beating Me. Parrott, because he was high on drugs. "The accused's version has an air of truth," M. Delgobbo said, addmng, "He contacted hais aunt. Me. Stokes didn't con- ceal or destroy any evidence. It would have been easy for him, to dump it. And he madIe arrangements with bis lawyer tc, tum him- e self in. T1hat's in his favour." No harm intended: defense Me. Delgobbo saitI M. Stokes didn't plan to cause any injuries. "Even if the crown can convince you it was robbery (the motive), he was unarmed. The knife clearly belonged to Use victim.' But Ms Jago said M. Stokes simnply saw Use drunken M. Parront as an easy target, who made no threatening actions, for dmug money. M. Parrot had a high level of alcohol in là his blood when he was wallcing home from, his favourite drinlcing hangout, Usen calletI Use Knight Cap on Main Street, Ms Jago said. "He was clearly intoxicated," she said. M. Stokes didn't get help for M. Parrott afier Use incident because he was the one Dote responsible for his deaUs, Ms Jago said. "Be doesn't calI 911, go to Use police or Use hospital, or get help for Murray Parroni. îf Instead, self preservafion (kicks in)," court % heard. Me. Stokes had told court he had taken many différent types of drugs andI was high aI Use time of Use incident. Ms Jago point- ed out Usat alUsough he had no trouble remnembening exactly how many and what type of drugs he took, Usere were many botes in his testimony of Use stabbing, claiming he couldn'î remember. It seemns, she said, Usat Usroughouî his M S tedtestimony, M. Stokes was able to remem- ber Use facts Usat could potentially help Bath& Be roomhlm, but not what could harmi hlm. She added Usat she didn't Usik Me. Ensem blies Stokes was irrational or high from alcohol or tIrugs, and brought up testimonies from, Usree witnesses who had bold court earlier O % O F F in Use trial Usat Me. Stokes seemned fine. Also, she recounted Use forensie paUsolo- gisî's fmdings, antI said Usey diIn't coincide wiUs M. Stokes' accounit of what hap- M I TO pened, further disproving hls stoïy. 400 M in S. E."The sad part is, Usere are only two peo- I pie who can say what happened. One canit, 905-69 -9948and Use accused's version is inconsistent wiUs Use physical evidence. It has to speak GEO GE O W for Murray Parrott because he can't," Ms I*. 26 .u lhS.E Jago said. HOM IE O 905873275 The sentencing hearing will continue Mach 2. *W LO A I N TO SE V YO OPE 7 D Y a Ui1 Stephanie Thiessen can be reached or ----ïé,ýe@nlqFWaça