Closing arguments scheduled in York University student ‘webcam’ murder trial

TORONTO – The jury in the so-called “webcam” murder trial is set to hear closing arguments today.

Brian Dickson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of a York University student from China, but his lawyer has told the jury he should instead be found guilty of manslaughter.

Qian Liu, 23, was found dead mostly naked and face down on the floor of her off-campus basement apartment on April 15, 2011.

All of the evidence against Dickson, who was a tenant in the same building as Liu, was heard in just six days and the defence called no evidence.

Liu had been chatting via webcam with her ex-boyfriend in China when he saw a man force his way into her room and push Liu down out of the webcam’s view.

The ex-boyfriend testified that she was saying “no,” but after he heard two muffled bangs there were no more sounds from her, and moments later the lower half of a naked man appeared in front of the webcam and the computer was turned off.