Accused in machete attack intoxicated, but not 'completely smashed'

Chris Carson was watching television on the June evening when his neighbour's uncle knocked on the door of his Aweres Township home looking for help.

Andre Duplin asked "me to call an ambulance and police," the 33-year-old man told the judge Friday, the third day of the senior's trial on charges related to a machete attack on his nephew,

"(Duplin) said he hurt Larry," said Carson, who lives next door to the victim Larry Paquette on Rupert Acres Drive.

Duplin has pleaded not guilty to assault with a weapon, aggravated assault and attempted murder in connection with the June 7, 2016 incident that injured his 55-year-old nephew.

Carson described Duplin's voice as "quiet, calm. He wasn't frantic."

His speech was slurred. "He was intoxicated," the Crown witness testified.

Ontario Court Justice Andrew Buttazzoni heard Carson called 911, but then hung up before speaking to anyone.

He said he wanted to make sure there was an emergency and walked over to Paquette's residence.

When he arrived there Duplin was standing in the doorway.

Carson said he hollered "what's going on Larry?" and went inside, where he found a bleeding Paquette sitting in a recliner.

"Larry said 'Help me Chris, help me Chris,'" he told assistant Crown attorney David Didiodato.

"His tone of voice was urgent. He knew he was in trouble."

Carson said he urged Paquette to hold on and called 911 again.

During cross-examination, defence counsel Jennifer Tremblay-Hall asked if he recalled that 911 had actually called him back — that he didn't make the second call.

She played a tape of the call, which indicated Ontario Provincial Police had contacted his number after the 911 hang-up.

Carson said this refreshed his memory, and agreed he was shaking and in shock during what Tremblay-Hall suggested was a traumatic experience of viewing the scene at Paquette's home.

He conceded he couldn't really remember how he ended up on the phone with 911.

"The details are not too clear?" the lawyer wondered.

"There are things I can't forget . . . the machete, Andre knocking on the door, " Carson replied.

Tremblay-Hall then suggested that as he was on the porch speaking to 911 his girlfriend pointed out the machete, and he became focused on what had happened in the house and what Duplin had done.

"You weren't paying attention to what was going on around you," she asked, adding that because of this he doesn't have a clear recollection what Duplin said to a police officer, who had arrived on the scene.

"Not entirely," he admitted.

Carson denied Duplin was "completely smashed," describing him as intoxicated.

On Friday, Buttazzoni also heard from Carson's then girlfriend, who was living with him at the time of the incident.

Krista Mortari testified that she didn't see who knocked at the door that night, but heard someone say "call the cops because I hurt my nephew."

She said she handed Carson the phone, and he called 911, but then hung up and went over to Paquette's.

Mortari then followed him, and when she arrived next door, Carson had gone inside and Duplin was on the porch, where she remained.

Duplin "looked agitated, scared," she told Didiodato, indicating he spoke to her, but she couldn't understand what he was saying because of his strong French accent.

"I said what happened. He said 'I hurt Larry.'"

Not long after that the police arrived and "I pointed out the machete (on the porch)," Mortari said.

Tremblay-Hall suggested during cross--examination that it must have been a scary situation and she likely was in shock when she saw the bloodied machete.

"I was kind of nervous," the woman admitted.

"You were terrified," Tremblay-Hall stated. "You're focused on the machete and the blood and what Andre did to his nephew."

When Mortari agreed, the defence wondered if what happened after that was somewhat blurry to her.

"You could say that," the witness responded.

EDITOR'S NOTE: SooToday does not permit comments on court stories