Nathaniel David Jessup is pictured in this undated Facebook photo.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK
June 21, 2019 - 11:54 AM
KAMLOOPS — Nathaniel David Jessup has been found not guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Dylan Levi Judd at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre more than four years ago.
Judd, 20, was found dead in his cell with a red sweatshirt tied tightly around his neck in November 2014. An autopsy performed on Judd's body showed he died of asphyxiation.
Judd's uncle who was present in court today, June 21, to hear the verdict was visibly upset and declined to speak with media after Justice Sheri Ann Donegan read the verdict.
Donegan said Crown counsel did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Jessup killed Judd.
"This means that the law requires that I must find Mr. Jessup not guilty," Donegan said.
Jessup's trial lasted approximately two weeks, and on June 7 lawyers met to present closing arguments to Justice Donegan.
Crown prosecutors called 10 witnesses to testify which included correctional officers, medical staff and two pathologists.
Prosecutors Monica Fras and Neil Wiberg said Jessup was involved in causing Judd's death saying he strangled his cellmate sometime after lights out on Nov. 9, 2014 but did not provide a motive.
However, defence lawyers, Jeremy Jensen, Jay Michi and Marshall Putnam argued Judd was mentally unstable and killed himself. They called a pathologist to testify who contradicted some of the opinions and findings of the first two pathologists.
For more stories on this case go here.
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