A veteran police investigator told the Dennis Oland murder trial Thursday that he was “frustrated” with fellow officers while trying to examine the grim scene of the crime.
It's criticism that echoes a previous assertion by defence lawyers, that some officers were “sightseeing” in Richard Oland’s office.
Sgt. Mark Smith has about 20 years doing police identification and forensics work.
He was called to Richard Oland's office soon after the body was found.
Smith went inside for a brief view, and then he went back to the police station to get all the equipment he would need.
Smith was questioned by prosecutor P.J. Veniot.
“When you left the scene, the Far End Corporation office, did you leave instructions with anybody there?” Veniot asked Smith.
Smith replied: “I didn't think I had to.”
But later in the day, Smith says traffic increased at the crime scene.
“Certain senior officers wanted to see the body,” Smith testified.
He says those officers included then inspector Glen McClosky.
Asked about whether this was impacting his work, Smith told the court:
“I was pretty frustrated at the time,” he testified. “At one point, I sarcastically asked: ‘anybody else?’”
Smith says he instructed the others where, and how far, they should go inside the office, though he wanted everybody to stay out until he was finished, but Smith says he was outranked.
“That wasn't the view of major crime,” he testified.
Smith took dozens of photographs inside, what was a gruesome crime scene. This included the victim's body, large stains of blood and numerous tiny droplets of blood that were found all over the office.
During his first visit, Smith says he also examined a door to the back alleyway.
He says he was looking for any fresh damage to the door. He found none.
The defence says that door offered a possible escape route for Richard Oland's killer.
Dennis Oland is accused of killing his 69-year-old father. Oland, his legal team and his family continue to profess his innocence.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mike Cameron.
