'Killing, not murder': Accused triple murderer's statement to police played at trial

The day after the bodies of three women were found west of Ottawa in September 2015, the man accused of murdering them told police in an interview he was there to talk about "killing, not murder," and that he'd been wrongfully accused by women and police throughout his life.

A then bald,57-year-old Basil Borutskisat down for hours with OPP Det. Sgt. CaleyO'Neill in a small grey interview room with a blue floor at the Pembroke OPP detachment the morning ofSept. 23, 2015.

During theinterview Borutskipainted himself, sometimes heatedly, as an innocent man charged wrongfully in the past by two of the victims, as well as others. He repeatedly asked O'Neill to look into those charges and get him a "fair trial," and said thatonly then could O'Neillunderstand what happened,court heard.

The previous morning, the bodies of 66-year-old CarolCulleton, 36-year-old AnastasiaKuzykand 48-year-old NathalieWarmerdam were found at three separate crime scenes in and around the small community ofWilno, Ont.

Borutski'strial on three charges of first-degree murder in their deaths continuedThursday with testimony from O'Neill, theCrown's first witness.Hespecializes in polygraphs for the OPP's behavioural sciences section.

''I know all about your brotherhood'

In the videotapedinterview, which is being played in court, O'Neill first spends time making sure Borutskiunderstands his rights to counseland that the interview could be usedagainst him.

Early on, when O'Neill asksBorutski if he wantsto talk to a lawyer, Borutskireplies, "For killing, not murder."

Hecallsthecriminal justice system corrupt, sayshe doesn't want to speak to any "crooks," and thatthere was "no point" in talking to a lawyer. He accusespolice of mistreating him and neglecting his needs for water, food and back pain medicationin the cellblock overnight, and he speaks repeatedly about police protecting each other when they've done wrong.

"Idon't trust you onebit," Borutski tells O'Neill."Iknow all about your brotherhood.

"I've never had a positive experience with a policeman. If I'd had a positive policeman my whole life would be different."

'Thou shalt not murder'

Borutski tells O'Neill he feels judged by policeand accuses O'Neill of already knowing the entirety of his criminal record. "You're going by that stupid record you guys made," he says.

O'Neill then asks Borutskifor the difference between killing and murder.

"Thou shalt not murder. The Commandments,"Borutskisays.

"So is killing justified? Is that what you're getting at?" O'Neill asks. "I believe it says thou shalt not kill."

"You're wrong. You better start reading the Bible,"Borutskiresponds. "Find an old version before they changed it."

Borutski says all threewomen used him for money and help, that two of them lied in court against him. O'Neill asks why, since he's already suffered so much at their hands, he decided to killthem all just to make the point that the justice system doesn't workand in so doing, suffer the consequences alone.

"I'm not quite sure what you're saying, but I think that do you not think society should open their eyes and change the way [it operates]?"Borutsiasked.

"Earlier you told me yourself that you know that women are abusing the system, using the system. So if you know that, and common sense applies, and there's lots of officers that know that, why isn't anything done? Why doesn't it change? Why do you allow people like me to be in jail, rot in jail with a physical disability and suffer with no medication. And then you get out and you're stigmatized and you live your life.

"You have no idea what it's like to know that you've done nothing wrong."

The trial was later adjourned for the day and will resume Friday morning with more from the interview.

Killings were revenge, Crown contends

Borutski'strial before Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Marangerin Ottawa started earlier this week with jury selection and is scheduled to run for 17 weeks.

• Jury selected for trial of accused triple murderer

During opening statements Wednesday, Crown attorney Jeffery Richardson told the juryBorutskiconfessed to the three killings in the statement.

Richardson and fellow Crown attorney Julie Scott intend to prove that Borutskimurdered the three women out of revenge.

• 'His kind of justice': Accused triple murderer killed women for revenge, Crown says

"For Basil these murders are all about justice, his kind of justice. Justice where murders like theseare justifiable, justice where women pay the ultimate price for using whatBorutskisays is a corrupt justice system against him, justice whereBorutskigets to be judge, jury and executioner, justice where there is only one truth that counts: his truth," Richardson told court Wednesday.

"I submit to you that the truth is that Basil Borutski murdered Carol, Anastasia and Nathalie out of revenge. He thought about it before he did it and then he executed his plan perfectly."

Borutskihas not hired a lawyer andis therefore representing himself at the trial, but he has refused to enter a plea or speak at all,forcingthe court to entera plea of not guilty on his behalf.

JusticeMarangerhas repeatedly toldBorutskiand the court that his silence is being interpreted as acquiescence to the proceedings.