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UPDATE: Neighbour testifies in manslaughter trial

An Armstrong woman takes the stand in the manslaughter trial of Logan Scott.
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UPDATE: 3:45 p.m.

The victim’s friend that was possibly going to be called to testify Thursday afternoon did not attend the Vernon Supreme court trial for Scott Logan.

Instead it was decided to adjourn the trial until September; although date has not been set. It is an option that the trial could be moved to Kelowna.

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The neighbour of Jillian McKinty took the stand on Thursday morning in a Vernon courtroom, to recount her memory of what happened back in November 2013.

McKinty died from asphyxiation in an Armstrong home that was subdivided into units, where Jody North also lived.

North is now testifying for the Crown in the manslaughter trial of Logan Scott.

The Armstrong resident said she moved into the home in the summer of 2013 and was friendly with McKinty who had two twin boys.

She told the court her unit shared a laundry room with McKinty’s unit and the two women would often say hello, but nothing more.

On the morning of McKinty’s death, North remembered hearing the two children yelling for their mom to wake up and begging her to get out of bed.

North explained McKinty had a routine schedule that would have the boys up and getting ready by at least 7:30 a.m.

It was after 8 a.m. that North recalled hearing the twins cry.

She said she went down to the shared laundry room, knocked on McKinty’s unit door and had the boys let her in.

Not knowing what she was walking into, North had the children wait in the living room while she went to McKinty’s bedroom to see what was happening.

She told the court McKinty was lying in the bed with her hands clenched by her chest. North called out to McKinty, but heard no reply.

The neighbour then tried to shake the victim’s arm, but McKinty was cold to the touch and her lips were blue. She said she looked around for drug paraphernalia or pills, but did not explain if she found any.

North then told the court she took the boys upstairs to her unit to sit with her youngest son, while she called 911.

Waiting for the ambulance outside, North chatted with a neighbour. Then once paramedics arrived she took them down through her unit to McKinty’s.

When asked by the Crown if she heard any noise coming from McKinty’s unit the night before, North responded she heard the muffled voices of a man and a woman — but could not make out what they were saying.

North was not cross-examined by the defence.

The paramedics were the ones to call the RCMP and that is when Cst. Ian McLeod arrived on scene. McLeod was also called as a witness for the Crown.

The North Okanagan officer took pictures of the scene at McKinty’s home as well as of the victim lying in her bed.

McLeod described the home as unkempt, with clothes and toys strewn about — but no clear indication of a struggle.

When asked about McKinty, McLeod explained he found her in her bed with her hands clenched as if she had just fallen asleep.

McKinty’s parents arrived while McLeod was on scene. He said he had them wait outside and not come into the unit.

When cross examined by the defence, McLeod was asked if in his police report he concluded the victim could have died in her sleep. He responded “yes,” but added he was not a coroner and he was not in a position to make such a call.

McLeod told the court he did speak with a man outside the home who may have been a boyfriend or acquaintance of the victim.

The defence is now looking to speak to this boyfriend about what he knew of McKinty. The Crown was attempting to contact this man as well as an expert witness to take the stand Thursday afternoon.

The Supreme Court trial is supposed to wrap up today; however, defence is asking for more time for submissions.



Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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