Jaspal Singh Sidhu says his father was “not a good person,” but the man charged with killing his father remained tight-lipped about the events that led to the death of Balbir Singh Sidhu on Feb. 28, 2023.
Video of his statement to Guelph police in the hours after his arrest were played for the jury Tuesday.
He spoke with Det. Sgt. Trevor Byard in the video. The hour-long discussion saw Jaspal tell Byard multiple times he was advised by his lawyer not to discuss the incident. He did understand he was charged with second-degree murder.
“I can’t talk about today,” Jaspal told Byard on video when he inquired, adding he needed to talk to his counsel about his options.
Jaspal was adamant about keeping details to himself, even being asked point blank by Byard if he killed his father, and if there is any evidence to suggest he didn’t.
It got to the point where Jaspal told Byard “you just want one answer” and later said in the video “everybody will get their answers” and “it’s not a simple yes or no.”
The interview began just before 9 p.m., shortly after Byard first met Jaspal in the cell block at the Guelph police station.
Jaspal did discuss his relationship with his father, calling him “abusive” and saying his father “beat us up all the time.”
Despite the relationship, he said he doesn’t hold it against him and “I’m not happy he’s fucking dead.” He added while Balbir wasn’t “a good person,” it doesn’t justify him being deceased.
Jaspal described himself as someone who wants to keep to himself, but said his father always wanted to know what he was up to.
The morning of Feb. 28, 2023, Jaspal said he woke up at 4 a.m. and was home alone.
He said he went out to shovel snow, as a snow plow came by the house.
Jaspal told the officer about taking an Uber to the LCBO, Shopper’s Drug Mart and Bud’s Cannabis nearby later that morning, returning home shortly after.
He describes himself as someone who doesn’t party or drinks to get drunk.
“Those days are behind me,” he said to Byard, later adding he smokes marijuana out of a pipe, using it to help him sleep.
After getting back home, he said he had a couple drinks over a couple hours and just chilled in his room and watched TV.
At the time police arrived, Jaspal told the officer he was looking for his phone, noticed the garage door was open so he closed it.
There was a Burger King meal at the doorway of the home when police arrived, delivered just before police got to the scene.
Jaspal confirmed on the video he had ordered the meal.
“I was looking forward to my Burger King,” he said.
He advised the officer he doesn’t work, and was on ODSP for anxiety, something he believes his dad was mad at him for.
After Jaspal was arrested, he was brought out of the home and assessed by Michael Vander Meulen, who was the day shift supervisor for Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Services (GWPS) at the time.
Vander Meulen told the jury Thursday that Jaspal was complaining of "severe pain" because of the tourniquet applied to his leg.
He said Jaspal made a comment that he wasn’t stabbed and Vander Meulen “did not find an injury” to his leg, despite the presence of blood.
Vander Meulen said Jaspal “was calm” when answering his questions, and was cooperative. But he seemed “somewhat upset” when police officers would interact with him.
He said Jaspal never told him directly that he was injured, and that he was told that by a third party.
Several first responders that took the stand noted the call first came in for a cut to the leg.
Graham Little, an advanced care paramedic with GWPS, started the day’s worth of testimony.
He was the paramedic who went inside to assess the victim, and noted “several puncturing injuries” to his left side, as well as the knife in his chest.
He said he only moved Balbir’s left arm to check for rigor mortis, or the stiffening of joints, and said he was able to bend the arm.
Much of the questions he was asked, as well as the questions asked of firefighter Thomas Des Roches – another first responder on scene – centred around the rip of the back of Balbir’s shirt.
Both indicated they didn’t notice any damage to the shirt.
Des Roches said he was in the house before paramedics arrived, lifted Balbir's shirt slightly to observe the "multiple puncture wounds," and as discussion started about removing the knife to start CPR, paramedics arrived.
Jaspal said in the video he had a history of schizophrenia, but it isn’t an issue now.
He told Byard he wanted to speak to a therapist but was declined the option.
Vander Meulen said he asked if Jaspal wanted to go to the hospital for further assessment, something that is common for a paramedic to do.
But he was overruled by the officer, saying Jaspal wasn’t injured and he wasn’t being apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
Dr. Hamid Gilani, who was Balbir’s family doctor, gave testimony via a pre-recorded Zoom call with both lawyers. It centred around Balbir’s recent health.
He said he last assessed Balbir in July 2022, six to seven months before his death.
Gilani said Balbir had a “chronic problem with his right shoulder” and had an issue with his left leg due to a bulging disc in his lower back.
Otherwise, he said Balbir walked normally.
When asked about his capabilities, Gilani described Balbir as "slightly frail,” so he could get involved in a physical altercation, but he wouldn’t be able to push someone down.
Gilani said Balbir probably couldn’t lift anything off the floor that was over five pounds with the right arm, but the left arm was fine.
The trial resumes Wednesday.
