Closing arguments made in trial for man accused of murdering Winnipeg taxi driver
Closing arguments were made Friday in the case of a Winnipeg man accused of murdering a Duffy’s Taxi driver.
Lawyers for Okoth Obeing, 22, argued their client didn't have conscious control of his thoughts or actions when he killed 44-year-old Balvir Toor during the early morning hours of Mar.19, 2020 in his cab on Burrows Ave.
“This is truly a tragic case,” defence lawyer Alex Steigerwald told the court Friday. “Mr. Toor was an innocent man who lost his life and nothing can bring him back.
But it was not the same Okoth Obeing sitting before you today. It was a severely ill Mr. Obeing who stabbed Mr. Toor.”
In a lengthy interview with Winnipeg Police Service detectives hours after Toor’s death, Obeing admits to the killing.
“That’s the truth, I told you,” Obeing can be heard telling officers in the video which was played in court. “He’s dead. I killed him.”
Obeing lives with bipolar disorder and an intellectual disability which an expert testified left him unable to use thought to control his behaviour when he reached for his knife and stabbed Toor.
The Crown acknowledged he was suffering from a mental illness but told Court of King’s Bench Justice Joan McKelvey it isn't the only factor in the case.
“When Mr. Obeing got into cab 390 and plunged an eight and a half inch blade into Balvir Toor 17 times, killing him, he was mentally ill…suffering the effects of his bipolar disorder,” Crown attorney Chantal Boutin told the court. “But along with his illness and his eight and a half inch knife with a brass knuckle duster, he also got into Mr. Toor’s cab with his frustrations, his animus and his anger.”
Court has heard Obeing had previous disputes with cab drivers. He acknowledged to police he felt disrespected about being asked for prepayments and that killing Toor was the “best (expletive) feeling in the world.”
“When Mr. Toor disrespected him with yet another demand for an upfront payment that was the last straw," Boutin argued.
Boutin agreed Obeing shouldn't have been discharged from hospital nine days before the stabbing but she argued his actions were intentional and warrant a conviction for second-degree murder.
“Mr. Obeing quieted and told Mr. Toor, ‘just drive bro. Just drive,’” Boutin told Justice McKelvey. “Then he made a deliberate, rational and very conscious choice to get up from in behind the driver’s seat where that plastic shield was.”
He pulled out his knife and asked, ‘how much is it? Five-thousand dollars?’ and stabbed Mr. Toor repeatedly.”
Court has heard Obeing was off his medication at the time and was experiencing an episode of mania which came out in the form of anger and aggression.
The defence argued the evidence has proven he didn't appreciate or understand the physical consequences of his actions and didn’t' have conscious control.
“We ask for a verdict of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder,” Steigerwald told the court.
“It was because of mental illness that this tragedy occurred.”
Justice McKelvey told the court it will take some time to go through the large volume of evidence presented during the trial.
She expects to deliver a decision on Mar.14 at 9 a.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.