Beforehand, Ontario Superior Court Justice Thomas Heeney told jurors to brace themselves, saying what they were about to see cannot help but tug at your heartstrings, but said they had to decide the case without emotion.
We are, after all, dealing with the death of a little girl, Heeney said.
Youve been warned about graphic images being shown before and theyve no doubt been disturbing, but I can tell you that this will be the worst that you will see during the course of this case, so you really need to steel yourselves.
Dr. Michael Pollanen, Ontarios chief forensic pathologist who performed the post-mortem on Tori, also warned jurors, saying such images are confronting even for pathologists.
The body is going to be in a state of decomposition, Pollanen said. So, while you will recognize some of the body you might not recognize all of it.
By the time Toris remains were found by a police officer more than three months after she disappeared, they had deteriorated to the point where no evidence of sexual assault could be found, court heard.