Second-degree murder trial to resume November 20

Pembroke -- The trial of Brandon Lamoureux, who is facing a second-degree murder charge for his role in the July 21, 2021 stabbing death of 40-year Gilbert Rumleskie at the Pine Tree Motel in Eganville, will resume the week of November 20. If necessary, the week of November 27 has also been set aside in order to conclude the trial.

Last week, a teleconference scheduling meeting was held with representatives from the Crown Attorney’s Office and defence counsel Mark Huckabone’s office. Justice Anne London-Weinstein is presiding over the trial in the Superior Court of Justice in Pembroke.

The trial was last in session during the first week of September with Mr. Huckabone initiating a four-day gruelling cross-examination of former co-defendant Jordan Plumb. Following the cross-examination, technicians from the Centre of Forensic Sciences testified in relation to the knife used in the alleged murder and other key pieces of physical evidence involved in and around the crime scene.

When members of the Killaloe Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police arrived at the motel around 6 o’clock in the evening on July 21, 2021, they originally arrested both Mr. Lamoureux, 29, and Mr. Plumb. Mr. Lamoureux was charged with second-degree murder.

Mr. Plumb, who was 19 at the time of the murder, was initially charged with manslaughter. However, all charges were eventually dropped after he admitted to police and the Crown Attorney’s Office he lied in his original statement to police. He claimed he was fearful of Mr. Lamoureux due to his past criminal history.

As a result of his admission, the Crown stayed the manslaughter charge against Mr. Plumb in May, 2022 and later in December 2022, the Crown reduced the charges to mischief. He was sentenced to six months’ probation and 20 hours of Community Service. His admission led to him as being one of the main witnesses in the second-degree trial against Mr. Lamoureux.

When court resumes on Monday, November 20, it is not known if the Crown Attorney’s Office, represented by East Region Assistant/Crown Attorney Julien Lalande, will present any further evidence or if the defence will take the lead in the remainder of the trial.

Bruce McIntyre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eganville Leader