Noah Vaten told police he 害羞草研究所榖lacked out害羞草研究所� early in the evening after consuming too much cocaine on the night he害羞草研究所檚 alleged to have fatally stabbed Esa Carriere in downtown Kelowna.
He and his co-accused, Nathan Truant, are charged with manslaughter concerning the attack that killed Carriere near the Queensway Transit Exchange on Canada Day in 2018 as a fireworks display rung out above.
Their ongoing trial continued on Monday (March 8), as the Crown showed interrogation footage taken after Vaten害羞草研究所檚 arrest in Manitoba on Jan. 26, 2019. After police arrested and charged Vaten in Winnipegosis, Man., he was taken to Dauphin, Man. where police questioned him.
Vaten told the interrogating officer his memory is spotty due to the drugs and alcohol he used that night. He claimed he blacked out at 8 p.m., hours before Carriere was attacked just before 11 p.m. When the interrogator asked him if he害羞草研究所檇 seen the fireworks, which happened at the same time Carriere was attacked, Vaten paused briefly before saying he didn害羞草研究所檛 think he had.
The next thing he remembered with certainty was his arrest early the next morning 害羞草研究所� not for the alleged stabbing but for causing a disturbance in front of the Rutland Community Policing Office.
害羞草研究所淚 remember very clearly [the cop] being like, 害羞草研究所楬ey, you害羞草研究所檙e under arrest害羞草研究所� and grabbing me. And me being like, 害羞草研究所榃hy? For what?害羞草研究所� And then he害羞草研究所檚 like, 害羞草研究所榊ou literally just kicked my f**cking window.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Vaten told his interrogating officer of the arrest.
The cop put Vaten in a cruiser to take him to the Kelowna RCMP害羞草研究所檚 holding cells. Vaten said he began crying, saying, 害羞草研究所淚 was given too much liquor and cocaine.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚 think I wanted to go to the drunk tank that night because I knew I was too high and drunk害羞草研究所� I kicked the cop shop window because I needed help害羞草研究所� I knew my friends weren害羞草研究所檛 going to help me.害羞草研究所�
Vaten spent the night in a holding cell. His cellmate from that night testified earlier in the trial that Vaten confessed to the killing and even reenacted it. Vaten害羞草研究所檚 friend, Colby McKee-Lanchick, also testified earlier in the trial that Vaten admitted to the killing the morning after it happened.
READ MORE: Emotional testimony from accused Kelowna Canada Day killer害羞草研究所檚 friend in manslaughter trial
READ MORE: Kelowna council to consider closure of KLO Community Policing Office
The conversation remained cordial until the interrogator informed Vaten his story didn害羞草研究所檛 line up with accounts given to police by the people he was with that night.
害羞草研究所淧eople have told us, straight up, that you害羞草研究所檙e involved in this,害羞草研究所� the officer said following the lengthy questioning.
Vaten retorted: 害羞草研究所淚f I told people I went around and did it, that害羞草研究所檇 be red, wouldn害羞草研究所檛 it?害羞草研究所�
Vaten said if the police had evidence he had something to do with Carriere害羞草研究所檚 death, the interrogation was pointless.
害羞草研究所淥bviously, the police officers haven害羞草研究所檛 found enough (evidence) to do anything,害羞草研究所� he said, after having been arrested and charged with manslaughter.
The officer explained the investigative process police use, which involves talking to all parties involved. She also told him the Crown had approved the manslaughter charge against him, which means prosecutors saw a substantial likelihood of conviction based on available evidence.
After the officer left the interrogation room, Vaten leaned on a table with his head in his hand for a couple of minutes before another officer entered. He remarked Vaten looked like he had 害羞草研究所渢he weight of the world on his shoulders害羞草研究所� before escorting him out of the room.
During the trial proceedings on Monday morning, Vaten wore a Dragon Ball Z sweatshirt and sat motionless in the prisoners害羞草研究所� box, staring down at a monitor showing the interrogation video.
The trial continues.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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