Jury in McGill Ghetto murder trial views episode of sci-fi series Black Mirror

Montreal Gazette

2 days ago

By
The jury hearing the murder trial of François Pelletier ended what must have been a very confusing week for them by watching an episode of a television show.
Superior Court Justice François Dadour asked the 12-member jury to watch an episode from season one of Black Mirror, a sci-fi drama that was streamed on Netflix, following Pelletier's weeklong testimony in his defence. He is charged with the first-degree murder of Romane Bonnier, a 24-year-old woman who was stabbed to death on Oct. 19, 2021 on Aylmer St. in the McGill Ghetto.
During his sometimes confusing and rambling testimony, Pelletier, 39, has made several asides, for example to songs he was listening to while he and Bonnier were in a brief relationship. He has also mentioned the Black Mirror show often.
Earlier this week, a member of the jury sent Dadour a note asking whether they could watch a specific episode of Black Mirror and, on Friday, Dadour allowed it. He asked the jury to watch the hour-long episode inside their deliberation room because, Dadour said, there might be 'issues' with playing the episode in open court.
When Pelletier was sworn in on Friday with the intended goal of completing his testimony, he was asked to state his occupation. He said: 'Chief antagonist of the Black Mirror Society.'
On previous days, Pelletier stated his occupation as 'prisoner,' but he also said 'Soldier of God' at the start of one day this week.
On Friday, Pelletier testified about the days after he was arrested by the Montreal police and detained as a suspect in Bonnier's death.
'It eventually hit me, like the repercussions and the collateral damage (of Bonnier's death) and all the reality of like how now she's not gonna be there anymore. It was like a funeral,' Pelletier said, adding he had difficulty being detained in isolation. 'I started thinking of the impact of what I had done. It was a lot to take in.
'I was realizing that I was not well and that I might not have been well.'
Pelletier said he realized then he would probably 'be in prison for the rest of my life' when the judge interrupted him.
'The purpose of this trial is to determine whether you are guilty or not guilty, so let's stick with your state of mind (in the days after the homicide),' the judge said.
Pelletier then referred to a document that he described as 'a memo' he wrote to himself in jail.
'In there I mentioned that I really wanted to talk to someone like a doctor or a psychologist or a psychiatrist because I was ready to go completely insane, if I was not already,' Pelletier said. 'I should not (have been) in isolation given the psychological predicament I (was) in. I mentioned I have (obsessive compulsive disorder) and I'm most likely psychotic.'