Guy Turcotte jury begins deliberations in murder trial

Jury deliberations began Monday in the first-degree murder trial of former Quebec cardiologist Guy Turcotte.

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Turcotte isbeing tried for a second time in connection to the deaths of his children Olivier, 5, and Anne-Sophie, 3, on Feb. 20, 2009.

The 43-year-oldhas pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder but has admitted during thetrial to causing their deaths.

Quebec Superior Court JusticeAndrVincent wrapped up his instructions to the 11-person jury Monday afternoon at the courthouse inSt-Jrme, Que.

4 possible verdicts

The jury has four possible verdicts from which to choose:

• Turcotteis found guilty offirst-degree murder.
• Turcotteis found not criminally responsible due to mental illness.
• Turcotteis found not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
• Turcotteis found not guilty of first-degree murder but guiltyof second-degree murder.

In his instructions, Vincent went over many of the legal principles the jury members will have to consider.

He told the jury it must come to a verdict based only on the evidence the members heard and saw in the court room.

"You should not be swayed by public opinion," Vincent told the jury.

Vincent encouraged the members to discuss and to debate and not to be afraid to reconsider their own points of view during deliberations.

The jury must come to unanimous decision on their verdict, he said.

29 days of testimony plus closing arguments

The Crown completed its final arguments last Wednesday, saying the accused had decided to commit suicide and wanted to kill his children to ensure they weren't raised by another man.

Earlier, Turcotte's lawyer had argued his client was a loving father who would not have killed his children unless he was suffering from mental illness.

Vincent told the jury members if they choose the verdict of first-degree murder, the Crown will have had to prove before following points:

• that Turcotte caused the deaths of Anne-Sophie and Olivier.
• that he did so illegitimately.
• that he was in a state of mind to know what he was doing was an illegal act.
• that his actions were premeditated and deliberate.

The jury has sat through 29 days of witness testimony, plus five days of closing arguments from Turcotte's defence and another day of closing arguments from the prosecution.