deadmonton 2005 - nina louise courtepatte - the "cindy" trial
march 20th, 2007

delicious save to del.icio.us | submit to Digg


Nina Louise Courtepatte, 13, died from blunt force trauma on April 3rd, 2005.


Two adults and three teens, not identified by provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault.


Michael Erin Briscoe and Joseph Wesley Laboucan were awaiting a judge's decision in their own trial as the case against a second teen, nicknamed "Cindy" for the purpose of this narrative, began.


Cindy, now 19, was Michael Briscoe's girlfriend and she already testified as a Crown witness at his trial.


One male teen, nicknamed "Pyro," pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on December 8th, 2006. He was to be sentenced as an adult in April 2007.


<< march 14th, 2007 | the "cindy" trial | march 26th, 2007 >>



With a key figure testifying at Cindy's trial, media attention returned to the case.


CTV Edmonton image

Three days shy of learning his own fate while facing first-degree murder charges in Nina's death, Michael Briscoe took the stand and testified against his former girlfriend.


The pair last saw each other February 1st, 2007 when Cindy testified against the 36-year-old.


Briscoe left his wife and children in eastern Canada and came to Edmonton in 2004 because he wanted to get a licence to drive a truck and work in Alberta's oil patch.


When she met 34-year-old Michael Briscoe in the fall of 2004, 17-year-old Cindy was hooked on crack cocaine, crystal meth and alcohol.


Managing to never find work, Briscoe spent all of his time keeping an eye on Cindy – watching that she stayed off drugs and also to make sure “she didn't run around,” according to Cindy's earlier testimony.


The couple had a room at the Windmill Motel on Edmonton's western edge when Cindy's ex-boyfriend, Joseph Laboucan, came to stay with them in March 2005.


Global Edmonton image

Laboucan had testified at his own trial that he lost his wallet when in town to pick up a delayed insurance cheque, and ran into Cindy while passing time at West Edmonton Mall.


Cindy said she had known Laboucan for about a year-and-a-half and reported the three got along well. Laboucan slept on the floor beside their bed.


Taking the stand, Briscoe maintained he had nothing to do with Nina's murder and portrayed himself as a "shocked" bystander.


He also stated he felt Laboucan was jealous of his relationship with Cindy.


"He was looking at me in the mirror a couple of times so I was pretty paranoid," related Briscoe.


On the night the 13-year-old was murdered, Briscoe drove the pack of mall rats out of the city on the promise of a rave party.


He told the court he stopped his Ford Tempo at the end of a dead end road because he had to urinate.


Global Edmonton image Global Edmonton image

While relieving himself, Briscoe heard Laboucan, Cindy and Pyro rummaging through the car's trunk and taking out tools.


The man testified he was afraid of his friends, the oldest of which was Laboucan – 19 years old at the time.


"All I heard was digging around in the trunk so I kept back," Briscoe said, adding he was sure he was going to be beat up and have his car stolen.


He then heard Cindy's voice coming out of the blackness of the country night.


"She said 'Come on' but I didn't want to go."


"I was paranoid to go in the dark with a group of kids," Briscoe testified.


Laboucan, Cindy, Pyro and his girlfriend Buffy, and Nina and her friend Jane headed out onto the golf course.


After a few minutes, Briscoe said he got worried about his girlfriend and ran to catch up with the group.


Still unsure of what was happening, he said he hid behind a bush.


"I snuck up there. Then I heard someone scream. I heard a noise," Briscoe testified.


He stated he saw Nina and Jane in tears and he emerged from his hiding spot to come to their aid.


"At some point I'm standing with Nina telling her to calm down."


Briscoe said he was backing off to leave when he heard someone saying something about someone having to die and saw several people moving towards Nina.


He then testified that Laboucan and Pyro had sex with Nina before starting to beat her "all over" with either a hammer, a wrench or both.


He said he recalled Nina saying 'Don't, that hurts' and seeing Laboucan "smiling" and getting "excited."


"He's hitting her in the head," Briscoe said.


"What with?" the Crown prosecutor asked.


"The hammer," Briscoe replied.


"What effect is this having on her?"


"She's shaking ... somewhere along there he told me to hold her but I didn't want to."


"Who told you to hold her?" asked the prosecutor.


"Joseph."


Briscoe said Laboucan then swore at him and told him to leave the area.


He described Laboucan as "looking really angry with a hammer in his hand."


Briscoe said Cindy was back at the car when Nina was attacked.


He told the court he got blood on his hand while helping carry the tools used back to the car.


When the group returned to his motel room, Briscoe said he helped Laboucan clean and dry off the hammer and the wrench in the unit's kitchen sink.


Throughout his testimony, Briscoe added drama to his retelling of events by imitating the voices of those he was with.


He said he only remembered the assault on Nina in bits and pieces and suggested his "imagination" had been adding details to his mind since being locked up after his arrest in April 2005.


"Your mind plays tricks on you when you sit in a cell for a long time," said Briscoe.



On March 23rd, 2007 Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brian Burrows announced his decision in the trial of Michael Briscoe and Joseph Laboucan, each charged with first-degree murder in connection with Nina's death.



The trial continued March 26th, 2007