Curtis Sagmoen leaves the Vernon courthouse today, Sept. 9.
(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)
September 19, 2019 - 4:13 PM
VERNON - Video footage released by the courts gives a brief glimpse of police interviewing Curtis Sagmoen following his arrest in September 2017.
The interview took place one month before the remains of Traci Genereaux's body were found on Sagmoen's family's property on Salmon River Road. No charges related to the discovery of Genereaux's body have been laid.
The video clips from the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP detachment show Sagmoen being questioned by police following his arrest Sept. 5, 2017. Sagmoen was accused of threatening and pointing a firearm at a sex worker in August 2017. The arrest ultimately led to five charges being laid against Sagmoen over the incident.
Two years later Sagmoen's trial started Sept. 9 and four days of testimony focussed largely on the accused first 24 hours in custody followed.
The trial immediately entered into a voir dire - a sort of trial within a trial - with defence lawyer Lisa Helps arguing the voluntariness of Sagmoen's statements to police.
Justice Alison Beames is expected to make a decision on the voir dire Sept. 23. The trial proper is tentatively scheduled for December.
Details of the voir dire were covered under a publication ban, however, a lawyer for CBC and Global News successfully argued against the ban, however, several details from the trial are still covered under a publication ban. In the video, Sagmoen's voice has been purposely distorted due to a court-imposed ruling.
Sagmoen is also facing another trial, scheduled for December, where he is facing one charge of assault causing bodily harm.
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