Judge At Halkett Trial Denies Defence Request
Wednesday, May 06, 2009 at 14:33
A judge has ruled that a videotaped interview with the mother of the baby born in the washroom of the Prince Albert Walmart will not have to be shown at her trial, unless she takes the stand in her own defence.
Justice Neil Gabrielson announced this morning that a police interview with April Halkett conducted on June 6, 2007 does not have to be admitted into evidence.
The Crown has already played in court one tape of an interview Halkett did with police four days after she delivered the baby.
The defence has argued that the second interview needs to be shown, as well.
Today, the Crown produced its final witness, Cst. Robert McDermott of the La Ronge RCMP detachment.
He testified he received a phone call on May 25 from Dwayne Merasty, in reference to Halkett.
According to McDermott, Merasty told the officer he saw a videoclip on TV of Halkett walking into the Walmart with her jacket on.
The officer said Merasty told him he knew the woman was Halkett, but he didn’t believe she could have given birth.
McDermott then testified he phoned Halkett and had her go to the hospital.
The defence called its first witness today — Dr. Charles Simpson, an obstetrician with 30 years experience.
Simpson testified he had seen one or two cases of women who apparently didn’t know they were pregnant right up to the point of delivery.
He also said there have been some cases where pregnant women reported experiencing bleeding, similar to that of a menstrual cycle, at regular intervals throughout the pregnancy.
Simpson said some labours have been reported as being extremely short — one hour or less — and some women have given birth with just one or two pushes.
He noted that Halkett walked in and out of the washroom in just 14 minutes, indicating a precipitous birth.
Simpson testified that the baby doesn’t begin to breathe or cry immediately after these quick births, because he or she is in a shock-like state for several minutes due to the speed with which he or she came out of the birth canal.
He noted the difference in pressure would be significant.