SYDNEY, N.S. — A Cape Breton Regional Police officer testified Wednesday that when he went to a Millville home in February 2017 to check on an accused charged with second-degree murder, he received no response.
“I was basically hammering on that door,” said Const. Steve Campbell, in his testimony before a Nova Scotia Police Review Board hearing in Sydney.
Campbell said his knocking became progressively louder and longer as he waited for a response from Christopher Garnier who at the time was charged with the murder off-duty Truro police officer Catherine Campbell. Garnier would later be convicted of the crime and sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 13 years.
Prior to his trial, Garnier was released on conditions that included he could reside with his father, Vince Garnier, at his home in Bedford, or his mother, Kim Edmunds, at her home in Millville.
Between Feb. 17-19, 2017, Christopher Garnier was staying with his mother at her Cape Breton home.
Cape Breton police were requested by Halifax Regional Police to conduct a compliance check on Christopher Garnier to ensure he was inside the Millville residence.
Campbell testified he arrived at the home around 1:20 a.m. on Feb. 18 and began knocking on the side door of the home. He said he knocked six times and then knocked twice on the backdoor. He said he also shone his flashlight into the basement windows of the home but saw no movement.
“I was basically hammering on that door.” — Const. Steve Campbell
He left the scene around 1:36 a.m. and reported making no contact with the accused.
Campbell was again back at the home around 10 p.m. on Feb. 18 to conduct another check and did make contact with Christopher Garnier.
The following day, Christopher Garnier was arrested by Cape Breton police and was turned over to Halifax police who charged him with three counts of breaching his release conditions.
Following a two-day Supreme Court trial on the breach charges, Christopher Garnier was again released on conditions after the judge ruled it was likely those inside the home were asleep at the time of Campbell’s first visit and as a result, Christopher Garnier did not intentionally breach his conditions.
A three-member panel of the board convened the hearing after a complaint was filed by Vince Garnier alleging, among other things, police breached his son’s rights by failing to secure an arrest warrant.
Cape Breton police had previously completed a compliance check at the home in December 2016 with no issues being reported.
Kim Edmunds has testified before the hearing she believes no officer came to the door in the early morning hours of Feb. 18, 2017. Edmunds said someone would have heard the knocking at the door.
The issue is somewhat moot as the hearing panel is obligated to accept the judge’s ruling of fact from the breach hearing that Campbell did knock and those inside were asleep.
Campbell was the fifth witness to testify in the scheduled two-week hearing.
Vince Garnier’s complaint names four Cape Breton police officers: Const. Steve Campbell, Const. Gary Fraser, Const. Dennis MacSween, and Const. Troy Walker who are each represented by lawyers at the hearing.
The hearing continues Thursday with additional police witnesses expected to be called to testify.
