Self-defence argument made in Nanaimo woman’s first degree murder trial

Orris said Laroche perceived physical threats by Mantee against her, as well as her family and friends, to be further legitimized by Mantee’s apparent false claims he had gang ties and previously murdered somebody.

“She’s not only subjected to the abuse that the evidence clearly indicates she has, but she’s threatened by somebody who she believes to be of the criminal background and quite capable of carrying out these threats, so there’s no doubt of her state of mind in that regard,” Orris said.

Evidence presented early in the trial, including via undercover police testimony, revealed Laroche confessed to bludgeoning Mantee in the back of the head with multiple times with a small sledgehammer as he slept face-down on a living room mattress.

Laroche then told police she slit Mantee’s throat, cut up his remains and dispersed the body parts around Nanaimo.

Key provisions of lawful self-defence conduct under the Criminal Code of Canada involve the belief on reasonable grounds that force is being used against an accused, the act of self-defence is being used to protect themselves, and the act of self-defence is reasonable in the circumstances.

A close friend of the accused testified that she confessed to the slaying and dismembering of Mantee, telling court Mantee abused Laroche.

Telling the judge-alone trial Laroche had a special relationship with her cats whom resided with the estranged couple in their apartment, Orris said Mantee abused one of the animals shortly before he was killed.

“She says on one occasion that was the last straw…”

Dr. Amy Fitzgerald testified on behalf of the defence on Monday morning.

The professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Windsor told court that based on transcripts Laroche had a special connection with her pets, which many intimate partner violence victims do.

“…this level of attachment may seem abnormal, but once you put it into the larger context, especially given that the literature, a number of studies, have documented the tendency of abusers to isolate their victim. So companion animals become even more important,” Dr. Fitzgerald said.

Notably, the Crown outlined on the first day of the trial no complaints to police of intimate partner violence on behalf of Mantee toward Laroche had been made.

A forensic psychiatrist is also expected to testify on behalf of the defence.

Laroche is also charged with interfering with Mantee’s remains.

She was charged in March 2022.

Mantee’s case was originally a missing person’s file, which the trial earlier heard shifted after Laroche confessed to murdering Mantee to close friend Robyn Bartle in April 2021.

Laroche pleaded not guilty to both charges against her on the opening day of her trial on Jan. 22.

Her trial, originally slated to be heard before a jury, transferred to Vancouver since suitable custodial arrangements for detained women were not accommodated in Nanaimo.

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ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes

by Ian Holmes

Self-defence argument made in Nanaimo woman’s first degree murder trial

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