There was a lot of tension and some heated exchanges at a Regina murder trial today.
Thirty-four-year-old Adam Cyr is accused of beating two-year-old Natalia Shingoose to death in June of 2012.
The girl’s uncle, Matthew Bennett, was back on the witness stand today for some intense cross-examination by defence lawyer Bob Hrycan.
Last week, Bennett told the trial he saw the door of the house where Natalia lived was wide open at 3 am on the day she died. He says he went in to make sure everything was alright.
Hrycan challenged the story, saying Bennett was an addict, a drug dealer and violent — and he went in the home looking for drugs.
Bennett called Hrycan delusional and at one point muttered obscenities at him.
Videotaped evidence of Bennett in a police interrogation room was also played for the jury. In it, he is hyperventilating, shaking and crying. Several times, his emotions change from despair to rage. At this point, police have not even told him is niece is dead. When they do, he punches a wall and sobs.
Hrycan told the trial Bennett attempted to draw attention away from himself as a suspect, yet his reactions during the police interview indicate otherwise.
The mother of the murdered child, Amanda Trevors, is expected to testify tomorrow.
Natalia Shingoose died from internal bleeding, the result of six broken ribs that lacerated her liver and a lung.
Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case tomorrow or Friday.
It is not known if Adam Cyr will take the stand in his own defence.