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WEEKEND, May 11-13, 2012 News worth sharing.
metronews.ca | twitter.com/themetrolondon | facebook.com/themetrolondon
Jury deciding Rafferty’s fate Tori Stafford murder. Judge gives final directions, commands jury to follow the evidence The fate of Michael Rafferty, accused of abducting eightyear-old Victoria Stafford for his sexual gratification before beating her to death and
hiding her body under a pile of rocks, is in the hands of a jury. After listening to at-times disturbing evidence from 62 witnesses over two months, nine women and three men are deciding whether Rafferty, 31, is guilty of firstdegree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping. He pleaded not guilty. The jury began deliberat-
ing Thursday afternoon after being given final instructions by Superior Court Judge Thomas Heeney, who laid out for them many ways they could reach various verdicts. The trial was long and the instructions from Heeney were complex. Jurors saw 190 exhibits and heard evidence from dozens of experts, police officers and other witnesses, but Rafferty’s exgirlfriend Terri-Lynne Mc-
Clintic ties it all together. The Crown alleges Rafferty and McClintic kidnapped Stafford outside her school in Woodstock in 2009, then drove to a rural area where the girl was raped and killed. McClintic, who pleaded guilty two years ago to firstdegree murder, initially told police Rafferty killed the girl, but testified at his trial that she delivered the fatal blows. The scenarios Heeney
described, which will direct the jury’s deliberations, turn on whether the jurors think Rafferty or McClintic killed Tori, and the possible convictions range from first-degree murder down to manslaughter and not guilty. The Canadian press For continuing coverage of the Michael Rafferty trial, go to metronews.ca.
Defence lawyers Dirk Derstine and Laura Giordano speak to the media on Thursday during a break in proceedings at Michael Rafferty’s murder trial. After 10 weeks of often harrowing testimony, the case is in the hands of the jury. Dave Chidley/the Canadian press
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