The Crown sought an admissibility ruling for a statement given by the accused to police while he was handcuffed to a hospital bed recovering from injuries sustained in a house fire.
The accused, charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted murder, argued his statement was involuntary due to police persistence, oppression, and a breach of his right to silence.
The court found that the police conduct did not create a climate of compulsion or override the accused's free will.
The statement was ruled voluntary and admissible, with its probative value outweighing any prejudicial effect.
