Laura Babcock Murder Trial 11.16.17 - Day 17

[meterclicks]

Oh, good grief. I think Robert Burns cares about his 6 children. I don't know why his attitude toward DM is being spun as selfish.

Not to mention directly because of DM, RB (and subsequently details of him and his family) has been dragged into this. Definitely not selfish.

 

[meterclicks]

Dellen Millard is standing at the podium now to cross-examine his uncle.

"Good afternoon Robbie," he says.

Burns responds, "Good afternoon."
by Shannon Martin 12:41 PM

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews1m1 minute ago


Jury is back for #Millard's cross examination of his uncle, (mother's brother,) Robert Burns the veterinarian. #LauraBabcock

Good afternoon Robert, Millard starts. Asking about summer of 2012, and the Euro trip that his son and daughter were taking. Son going back to medical school, "and I joined them on their European trip," #Millard says, and Burns agrees. It was actually most of Aug, Millard says

"Perhaps," it was most of August, Burns says. He's leaning forward in the witness box with his face in his hands, intent. #Millard has put up a photo of what must be the Euro trip. #Millard in foreground

 

[redheart]

Dellen Millard is standing at the podium now to cross-examine his uncle.

"Good afternoon Robbie," he says.

Burns responds, "Good afternoon."
by Shannon Martin 12:41 PM

Ughhhh. DM trying to get under his skin. MOO

 

[Grey-St]

For me, he does something I couldn’t quite imagine ever happening: makes Millard a slightly sympathetic character. Does anybody in this family care about anybody other than themselves? This is his sister’s only child.

I hear what you are saying, family should look out for one another. But I think Dr. Burns had pegged DM as a problem child very early on. DM even lived with his family for some time when he was younger. I personally respect his characterization of DM because he was the only one whole seemed to face the truth and was honest about it. Everyone else was in denial and completely negligent. As we now see, that didn’t help anything.

 

[mimimic]

I think he will be resplendent!

While it is refreshing to hear RB's dripping contempt for DM, I do hope that RB maintains professionalism, as trying as the cross examination will be.
None of us want the Babcocks to have to go through this again due to a mistrial.

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 25s26 seconds ago

Centre background is Burns' son. "This image would be from that Euro triip, right?" I wasn't there Burns says. Young people crowded on a boat in the photo.

 

[meterclicks]

Millard begins by asking Burns about the European trip he took with Burns son and daughter. Millard suggests it was August 2012.

Burns says it seems correct but adds, "Whatever date it was, is recorded somewhere, that date through flights and tickets can easily be found."

Millard pulls up a selfie of eight people on a boat. Millard in the centre.

He asks, "Robbie, is that your son in the centre?"

Burns responds yes.

Millard: "This is from the European trip?"

Burns: "I don't know, I wasn't there."

Burns is sitting hunched over in the witness box, looking directly at Millard.
by Shannon Martin 12:44 PM

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 39s39 seconds ago

"Would you agree that that's obviously 2012?" Whatever date it was was recorded somewhere, Burns says. The flights, hotel dates, can easily be found, he says. Speaking slowly and deliberately. #LauraBabcock

I ended up renting a sailboat, #Millard says. Judge tells him that's hearsay. Burns wasn't there. The date and time of the photo "doesn't strike me as any utility at this trial. You don't invite hearsay," Justice Code admonishes.

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 51s52 seconds ago

Now a photo of Millard and his fiancee at the hangar, the jury has seen this Burns doesn't recognize the location. #Millard says it's the old Toronto Pearson hangar office. #Millard is calling his uncle "Robbie"

Burns remembers going to the hangar to treat some cats. Was it the one in the photo? It's a black cat. Whether it's the one I treated, I don't know, Burn says. "Those were my father's cats?" Yes. #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Justice Michael Code says the date and location does not seem relevant to this trial.

Millard moves along.

He shows Burns a photo - the jury has now seen several times - Millard and a petite woman, holding a cat.

Millard asks if Burns recognizes the location - he does not.
Millard asks, "Does you recognize the cat?"
Burns says "It's a black cat." He treated several, he says.
by Shannon Martin 12:47 PM

 

[meterclicks]

Millard now asks about the pet cremation business - that it's growing in popular, people want ashes of their pets.

Burns agrees.

Millard asks if Burns was in France during the summer of 2012. He doesn't recall.

Millard asks Burns to review his June 6, 2013, police statement.

Burns says he usually spent summers in the city.
by Shannon Martin 12:49 PM

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 1m1 minute ago

Pet cremation is not uncommon, Burns agrees. It's increasingly common that owners want their pets ashes back. Burns had no intention of switching his pet cremation service, "Like I said," Burns says. #LauraBabcock

In the summer of 2012 Burns spent time in France, right? "I don't recall. Probably not." #Millard asks him to check his June 6 statement. #LauraBabcock

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 18s19 seconds ago

In the summer Burns says he's usually here. Maybe he was in Europe for Easter. The last time he had a phone call with #Millard he was out of country. #Millard had gone to his clinic, looking for him. Left his number. Burns passed that to police. #LauraBabcock

 

[Inspector_North]

And hopefully this is the last time he has to listen to his nephew's senseless drivel. MOO

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago

Burns' staff called him in France and told him there was some emergency, so Burns called #Millard from there. Burns remembers treating cats also at #Millard's Maple Gate home, the one "I grew up in," #Millard says.

Burns says he treated the cats in the old hangar. #Millard suggests Burns went to Maple Gate to treat the cats after the old hangar was torn down. Burns doesn't seem to recall this. He's checking his statement.

Statement says Burns went to Maple Gate three times in the summer of 2012. "Do you agree with me?" "If that's what was said," Burns is non committal. Says something about this "diabolical affair" before judge cuts him off. #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Millard talks about a visit he made to Burns' vet clinic. He stopped by and staff told him Burns was away.

Now Millard asks about Burns visiting his home -- the one he grew up in -- on Maple Gate Court, in Etobicoke, to treat cats.

Burns recalls treating cats at the airport hangar.
by Shannon Martin 12:52 PM

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews
2m2 minutes ago

"In the context of being called into a police department, and asked questions about you (points at Millard, hatred in voice) that was the context in which I answered those questions." Burns still just remembers going to the hangar for #Millard senior.

"our relationship is distant." Decidedly. "We're not close." Are you telling e something or asking me? The nephew and uncle emailed and phoned infrequently? Burns rubs his chin. "It was distant starting in 2002."

Millard went to Burns clinic a number of times with girlfriends pets. "Sometimes you would even not charge me for it." "As in, always," Burns says. "But you weren't always there when I was there." Burns says he can't know that. #LauraBabcock

 

[meterclicks]

Millard asks again, was Burns at Maple Gate in the summer of 2012?

"I have to be clear that my only role in this tragic and diabolic affair ---- "

Justice Michael Code interrupts Burns.

"You must stop that. You're being asked about your police statement...(he refers back to the statement.)

Burns answers, "In all do respect, being pulled into a police station and put into a corner and being asked about YOU. Those are the responses I gave at the time," he says looking at Millard.

Code asks again, "did you go to Maple Gate in the summer of 2012. Yes or no?"

Burns says he recalls going to the hangar.
by Shannon Martin 12:57 PM

 

[matou]

Lisa Hepfner‏
@HefCHCHNews 39s40 seconds ago

When #Millard was younger and their relationship "wasn't so distant" he spent time at the vet clinic and was familiar with it he agrees. He never had a conversation with #Millard about a pet cremation business, he agrees.

"It most definitely didn't" come up when #Millard and his uncle met up after Burns heard about the pet cremation business. "Is it within the realm of possibility that I would learn from your staff about cremating pets?" Crown objects. Judge asks him to reword.