Jury in Richard Bain's murder trial hears of political motive

The trial of the man accused ofattacking thePartiQubcois's2012 election night party began Thursday, with the Crown arguingthat the deadly shooting was premeditated andprompted by political reasons.

Prosecutor DennisGaliatsatostold theeightwomen and sixmenof the jury thathe will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Richard HenryBainshot and killed lighting technician DenisBlanchetteoutside a Montreal nightclub as the PQ was celebrating its victory.

The 65-year-oldBainalso faces three charges of attempted murder and two weapons-related counts.

The Crown willpresent jurorswith testimony from about 50 witnesses,including Montreal and provincial police, employees of the Metropolis nightclub and David Courage, a stagehandBainis accused of attempting to kill that night.

Bain, whowatched the proceedingsattentively from the witness box on Thursday wearing a cream-coloured neck brace,has pleaded notguilty toall six charges against him.

Video from night of shooting

Galiatsatostold the jury it will see video from the night of theshooting, including black-and-white surveillance video and footageshot by a CBC/Radio-Canada cameraman who was covering the electionnight rally.

He told the jury he intends to prove Bain was angry that hewasn't allowed to vote earlier in the day because he wasn't registeredin his riding after a change ofaddress.

Galiatsatosalsotold jurorshe would show Bain put on a ski mask andblue bathrobe after hearing on CBC Radiothat the PQ's Pauline Maroishad been elected premierand approached one of the entrances of Metropolis,where agroup of stage hands had gathered.

The Crown contends Bain fired one bullet from a semi-automatic rifle,hitting both Blanchette and Couragebefore his weaponjammed.

Blanchette died of his injuries at the scene. The same bullet hit Courage in his pelvis andshattered his tailbone.

'The English are waking up'

The Crown's case will show Bain washeavily armed, with not only a rifle and 9mm handgun, but also flares,other incendiary devicesand additional weapons in his nearbyvan, Galiatsatossaid.

The prosecutor also saidhe will call witnesses to testify thatBainmodified his rifle'smagazineclips to allow for more bullets, instead of the legal limit of five.

The first witness, SretduQubeccrime scene investigator Guillaume Vezeau, did just that holding up for thejury the rifle police seized from Bain after his arrestand telling jurors the weapon had 27 rounds in it.

The prosecution intends to prove Bain was politically motivated toshoot Marois, said Galiatsatos, who told the jury Bain spoke toonlookers as he was being led away after his arrest, saying "theEnglish are waking up."

The Crown will also enter as evidence several recordings of mediainterviews Bain did while incarcerated after his arrest in which heoutlines his political motivations.

A video statement of Bain's brother speaking to policeone month after the shooting will also be shown in court.

Quebec Supreme Court Justice GuyCournoyerwarnedthe jury many of the witnesses will testify in French, withsimultaneous translation.

Galiatsatosechoed that in his openingstatementas he thanked the jury in advance for their "importantduty."

'He's very calm,'lawyer says

The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks.

"It looks like it's going to be a long one,"Bain's lawyer, Alan Guttman, told reporters outside the courtroom.

Asked about his client's state of mind, Guttmananswered: "He's very calm, he's taking it in stride."

• Jury now in place for RichardBain'smurder trial

Sitting in the courtroom was aMetropolisstage technician who knew Blanchetteand felt he needed to be there for the start of the murder trial.

"There were a few difficult moments," said Gael Ghiringhelli, referring to some photos presented to the jury that showed the victim's body lying on the ground, covered by a sheet.

"I knew it would happen, but I need to [be here] toturn the page."

Ghiringhelliwasn't working at Metropolis onelectionnight, but he stopped by and was near his friends when he heard a shot fired.

"I want to see the attitude and reactions of Mr. Bain[because]I had my back to him and never saw him that night," he told reporters, adding it's been a difficult wait for the trial to start.

Although Bain was charged shortly after the shooting, thetrial has been delayed several timesand for several different reasons, such as Bain's failed attempts to find legal representation and a planned surgical operation forthe accused.