Friend told victim in murder case not to get involved in domestic situations, court hears

A forensic expert, who did a toxilogical screen of blood samples taken from stabbing victim Patrice Gregoire, found a high concentration of alcohol, jurors heard Thursday at the homicide trial of the man accused of killing him.

Randy Warren testified that his analysis indicated a concentration of 287 milligrams of alcohol in a 100 millilitres of blood.

There also was evidence of oxycodin, which he described as being in the therapeutic range, prior cocaine use and perhaps cannabis product, said the witness, a forensic scientist in the toxicology section of the Centre for Forensic Sciences Northern Regional Laboratory in Sault Ste. Marie.

Warren was one of four Crown witnesses, who took the stand on the third day of Ronald Freeman's trial.

The 48-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in connection with Gregoire's July 17, 2014 death in Jamestown and to assaulting Tanya Pearce.

At the request of investigators, Warren also provided an opinion about Freeman's alcohol blood level concentration that night, based on a laboratory report of blood drawn at Sault Area Hospital at 10:58 p.m.

Freeman had 195 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, he told prosecutor Dana Peterson.

Warren was also asked to determine the accused's blood alcohol level at 9:40 to 9:50 p.m. when he was involved in an altercation with Gregoire, known to many as Pat the Plumber.

At that time, he concluded, Freeman's concentration was 206 to 221 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Defence lawyer John Saftic suggested that Gregoire's 287 concentration was "an extremely high reading."

Warren responded that it's certainly on the high side, but not extreme.

He agreed Gregoire's reading would have been higher at the time of the fight, and calculated that it would have been between 293 and 302 milligrams.

The general effects of alcohol on individuals, depends on how much they drink and their tolerance, he said.

Jurors heard Gregoire, 46, was a regular at Al's Corner Pub in the James Street neighbourhood, and was there on the day of his death.

Adrian Tessier's family owned the bar and he was a friend of Gregoire's .

In the summer of 2014, Gregoire "frequented the bar quite a bit," would stop by after work and usually drank Labatt Blue and vodka.

"Sometimes he was more into vodka than beer," Tessier said. "For every two beer he would have a shot."

Freeman, who lived in a building across the street, came into the bar once in a while for a beer, he said.

Gregoire arrived at the pub about 7:30 p.m. on the day he died and spoke with Tessier, lamenting about his family situation and what was going on in his life, and talking about going north to work.

"He was kind of bummed out," the witness said.

Pearce was in the bar, speaking to a friend, "something about being abused" by Freeman, he said, describing the woman as "distraught, dramatic, crying."

Tessier said he closed the bar at 9:30 p.m. because business was slow and went outside to talk to Pat at a picnic table.

He then went back inside, and "Tanya came in, yelling someone was getting stabbed."

Tessier went back outside, and over to where there were two men near a planter on the pedestrian walkway.

He said Gregoire was straddled on top of Freeman, his forearm on the man's head, which was swollen.

"There was no movement," Tessier said. "I ran there, kneeled down...there was blood all over the ground."

He spoke to Gregoire, who told him "I'm fading, fading."

Tessier testified he couldn't see where the blood was coming from and didn't notice a weapon. He was going to call 911 when he saw two screaming women on Cathcart Street, who indicated they had called emergency services.

"I was in shock."

When he last spoke with Gregoire, his friend didn't seem intoxicated, he told the court, explaining "it was hard to tell with Pat."

During cross-examination by Ken Walker, one of Freeman's two lawyers, Tessier agreed Gregoire was a fighter, a strong, tough guy who had a reputation for winning fights.

He said that when Pearce was going on about being abused by Freeman, he told Gregoire to mind his own business and not to get involved in a domestic situation.

"I don't recall (that)," Tessier responded when Walker suggested Gregoire said that "guys shouldn't pick on women."

Later when again asked about this comment, he said Gregoire wasn't angry, "he was just stating his thoughts."

The court also heard from Pearce's friend, Aimee Jane (Annette) Bouilliane, who worked at the bar and is now married to Tessier.

She said Freeman was at the door of the bar that afternoon yelling at Pearce, and she sent him away.

Bouilliane testified that Tanya had bruises and complained about Freeman.

The woman said she told her "upset, angry" friend to stay in the bar and that she could go home with her.

The pair went to Freeman's apartment, collected a bag of clothes, then returned to the bar.

They later went outside to have a cigarette with Tessier and Gregoire, she said, indicating Tanya and Pat remained outside, when she and Adrian went back inside.

"Tanya came running in, said Ron just stabbed Pat and we booted out."

She said as she came closer to the two men they fell to the ground.

Freeman was flat on his back, Pat fell on top of him, with his legs straddling the man and his hair clenched in his hand, she said.

There was blood everywhere, Ron's face was a mess and "he said he was going to kill Pat, kill Tanya, rambling on," Bouilliane testified.

During a combative cross-examination with Walker, she said she didn't remember telling police that day that Pat "was the good guy, he's just defending the girl."

Walker then referred to her statement to officers where she said that when Gregoire was being lifted off of Freeman.

After Walker read from a transcript from the preliminary held last year, she agreed that she had said that Gregoire had Freeman by the hair and hit his head on the concrete numerous times.

She also agreed with Walker's suggestion that Gregoire was sympathetic to Pearce.