Kamloops shooting trial hinges on hearsay evidence decision

KAMLOOPS – The trial for a man accused of shooting a woman through the floor of a split level home in Kamloops last summer began today in B.C. Supreme Court.

Trevor Wilvers faces multiple charges including assault, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and possession of a firearm contrary to court order for an incident at a North Kamloops residence on June 4, 2013.

Around 6:20 p.m. that day, a 25-year-old woman was with her husband and five-year-old child in their basement suite on Brunner Ave when a gun went off upstairs, hitting her through the floor. She was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Wilvers was arrested in conjunction with the incident the following day.

The trial began today with a voir dire hearing — a trial within a trial — to determine the admissibility of hearsay evidence of a police officer who arrived on scene after the shooting.

Cpl. Wayne Chung told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Sheri Donegan that he attended 1374 Brunner Avenue that evening and discovered Trevor Newton at the residence claiming Wilvers tried to kill him before fleeing the home. Chung said Wilvers and Newton were partners trying to sell property involved in what he believed to be illegal activity.

Newton later recanted his story to police. Crown prosecutor Frank Caputo could not say whether or not Newton will testify in the trial next week.

The Crown expects to call between five and 10 witnesses and the trial resumes on Tuesday morning. Wilvers also faces charges of unlawfully causing bodily harm, uttering threats, possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm with ammunition, use of firearm using offence and possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.

To contact a reporter for this story, email: jwallace@infotelnews.ca, call: (250) 319-7494 or tweet: @jess__wallace.