Police body camera footage was the focal point of the first day of the murder trial Monday for a Guelph man accused of killing his 68-year-old father two years ago at a south Guelph home.
Jaspal Singh Sidhu pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Balbir Singh Sidhu.
The footage came from Guelph police Cst. Jenifer Nadalin-Yurek, who took the stand.
The 16-minute video begins with Nadalin-Yurek and her partner approaching the front door of 86 Hands Dr. just after 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2023. This, responding to a call for “some sort of argument between family members.”
The officer also confirmed to the court that police had been to that residence in the past, but didn’t disclose how many times or for what purpose.
Jaspal answered the door, but he was seen seconds later on his stomach in the front foyer.
There was blood on the inside of his right leg, which prompted the officer to ask if he was stabbed.
Jaspal could be heard on video saying his dad “tried to kill (him),” which prompted the other officer to ask where his dad was.
He was told to put his hands up, and he was handcuffed.
After he was handcuffed, a tourniquet was placed on his right leg in the case of an injury.
Nadalin-Yurek’s camera continued rolling, where she and her partner came across Balbir’s body in the dining room.
The camera didn’t initially pick up the body, Nadalin-Yurek told the court she observed the body with “a very large knife in his chest.” Balbir was on his back.
The video goes on to show officers doing a sweep of the home. Nobody else was in the unit at the time. There were two tenants of the basement unit home, and it was learned one called 911 for a disturbance upstairs.
Nadalin-Yurek was asked about her conversation with Jaspal at the home.
She told the court that despite asking questions, Jaspal responded “I just countered, he attacked me with a knife.”
The jury heard Balbir had eight stab wounds, two of them were considered fatal.
The body camera also picked up Nadalin-Yurek telling Jaspal he is being charged with murder. This, while he was being attended to by paramedics at the scene.
Paramedics could be heard saying the blood on Jaspal’s pant leg wasn’t his.
During the opening address, Crown attorney Peter Keen told the jury there will be approximately 14 witnesses testifying during the trial.
Among those will be family members, a pathologist, paramedics and two tenants who lived in the basement of the home.
It is not clear if Jaspal plans to testify, or if a statement will be given by defence lawyer, David Doney.
Two weeks have been set aside for the trial.
