A Crown prosecutor says William Sandeson was motivated by greed when the former medical student carried out a plan to kill another student during a drug deal.
Sandeson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Dalhousie University physics student Taylor Samson on Aug. 15, 2015.
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In her closing address today, Kim McOnie told a Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury that Sandeson had planned to sell the marijuana he stole from the victim to clear a $78,000 debt load just as he was starting medical school at Dalhousie.
Defence lawyer Alison Craig challenged that allegation in her closing statement, saying it made no sense for Sandeson to take a chance at throwing away a promising career for nine kilograms of drugs.
She told the jury that Sandeson didn’t need the money because he had three part-time jobs and was earning good money from his own drug dealing, which included selling marijuana and magic mushrooms to other Dalhousie students.
Earlier in the trial, Sandeson testified that he killed Samson in self-defence, saying he feared for his life when the victim lunged at him during an argument over payment.
Sandeson also admitted to disposing of Samson’s body by dumping it in a tidal river that feeds the Bay of Fundy near Truro, N.S.
The accused told the court he never intended to kill Samson, and he said he panicked after the shooting, knowing that he would face criminal charges, which would ruin his career.
His lawyer summed up that argument by saying: “Drug dealers don’t become doctors.”
Craig also said her client’s actions after the killing were consistent with an unplanned and unintended shooting.
“If this was planned and deliberate, he sure does take home the award for worst plan ever,” she said.
Justice James Chipman is expected to begin his charge to the jury later today.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2023.